Amédée Joyau was a painter, etcher and engraver from Paris who was know for his Japonisme prints that also suggest he was influenced by his compatriot, Henri Rivière (1864-1951). In 1894 Joyau was deeply inspired by an exhibition of Japanese woodblock prints and five years later, in 1889, Joyau went to Japan. After he returned to France the following year he began producing color woodblock prints. Three of his 'wood engravings' were exhibited in the French exhibition at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 'The Sea,' 'The Cliffs, Moonlight, and 'The Return of the Sardine Fishers,' although his name was spelled as Amedée Joyan in the official catalog. In 1911 he was one of the original members of the Société de la gravure sur bois originale (Society of Original Wood Engravers).