Van Gogh immersed himself in the art of Japan. Japanese artists used large areas of colour in their compositions, often with a sharp diagonal. Japanese artists regularly focused in on detail in the foreground. Van Gogh associated irises with Japan, where the native species were highly prized and had a prominent place in art. Van Gogh adopted these elements in his paintings, but in his imagination he combined Japan and Provence. For him, both were exotic places that beckoned with a stronger sun, clearer skies and brighter colours.[7][8]