The third installment of BE@RBRICKs, featuring precise reproductions of paintings by Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) rendered through water printing, will be released under the supervision of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Following "Sunflowers" and "Self-Portrait," the subject for this release is "Courtesan." In the latter half of the 19th century, Van Gogh, having been baptized by Japonisme which was highly popular in Paris, drew immense inspiration from Japanese print art. He not only collected numerous Japanese woodblock prints with his brother Theo, but also sought to stylize his own works by incorporating intense colors, everyday subjects, and meticulous attention to detail.

Evidence of this can be seen in Van Gogh's 1887 copies of three ukiyo-e prints: "Courtesan in a Flowery Dress" by Keisai Eisen, an artist active in the late Edo period, and Hiroshige Utagawa's "Plum Garden at Kameido" and "Sudden Shower over Shin-Ohashi bridge and Atake." This time, focusing on Keisai Eisen's "Courtesan in a Flowery Dress," the BE@RBRICK features "Courtesan (after Eisen)," which uniquely depicts a frog from "New Prints of Insects" by Utagawa Yoshimaru II and a crane from "Geisha and Mt. Fuji" by Sato Kosei, rendered with distinctive brushstrokes.

Furthermore, this year will also see the exhibition "Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience – Helene and Vincent, Souls Resonating," held from September 18th to December 12th at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, focusing on the collection of Helene Kröller-Müller (1869–1939), the world's largest private collector. This presents an opportunity to deeply appreciate the beauty of Japan through Van Gogh's eyes once more.

BE@RBRICK "Van Gogh Museum" Courtesan (after Eisen) 100% & 400% / 1000%
Sizes | Approx. 70mm / 280mm / 700mm in height
Prices | 100% & 400% ¥13,000 (excl. tax) / 1000% ¥48,000 (excl. tax)
Sales Method | Available at MEDICOM TOY direct stores and MEDICOM TOY online stores.
Release Date | Scheduled for February 2021 release
※Photographed using a sample under supervision. The actual product may differ slightly.     
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