On May 4, 2012, my family and I went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see the special exhibit, Van Gogh, Up Close.
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Self Portrait ~ 1889 |
One of the most famous and prolific artists of all time, post-impressionist, Vincent van Gogh
painted over 900 pieces in a period of less than ten years. He only
sold one painting in his lifetime and was continually tormented by
mental and physical illnesses. At the age of 37, he shot himself in the
chest and died two days later. His younger brother and best friend,
Theo, who supported him financially and spiritually over the years, died six months after Vincent and is buried next to him in Auvers, France. Theo's widow, Johanna, left all alone with a young child to raise, dedicated
herself to promoting and selling Vincent's artwork. She is the main
reason Vincent's work finally got the recognition it so rightly
deserved.
"It
was he [Vincent] who helped me to accommodate my life in such a way
that I can be at peace with myself. Serenity - this was the favorite
word of both of them [Vincent and Theo], the something they considered
the highest. Serenity - I have found it." ~ Johanna van Gogh
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Iris, The ~ 1889 |
The
show focused mainly on the work produced in the last four years of
Vincent's life. Many of the pieces in the exhibit were florals and
landscapes. Featured here are some of the paintings present in the show,
many of which, were unknown to me.
"What
am I in most people's eyes? A nonentity or an eccentric and
disagreeable man... I should want my work to show what is in the heart
of such an eccentric, of such a nobody." ~ Vincent van Gogh
Although
the perspective seems a bit off in this piece, the
power of the gigantic, gnarled trees and the soft, warm, muted color
palette really draws you in.
"Do not quench your inspiration and your imagination; do not become the slave of your model." ~ Vincent van Gogh
During
the period when Vincent was staying in an asylum in
Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France, he painted many close-up, still life,
nature pieces.
"I want to touch people with my art. I want them to say, 'He feels deeply, he feels tenderly." ~ Vincent van Gogh
This joyful little painting (about 8" x 12") of a back lit tree
in a field of cheerful yellows, red and green, made me feel that
Vincent must have had some really satisfying, blissful days. One could sense his delight while painting this one.
"How lovely yellow is! It stands for the sun." ~ Vincent van Gogh
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Rain ~ 1889 |
On
the other side of the coin, this one actually brought tears to my eyes.
Painted from his asylum window, Vincent's deep
feelings of pain, anguish and desperation are evident.
"As
a suffering creature, I cannot do without something greater than I –
something that is my life – the power to create." ~ Vincent van Gogh
There were few portraits among the many pieces in the exhibit, but I
like this painting of him next to this photograph.
"It
isn't an easy job to paint oneself – at any rate if it is to be
different from a photograph. And you see – this, in my opinion, is the
advantage that impressionism possesses over all the other things; it is
not banal, and one seeks after a deeper resemblance than the
photograph." ~ Vincent van Gogh
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Blossoming Almond Tree ~ 1890 |
"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" ~ Vincent van Gogh
The
last painting, one of the best-loved in the exhibit, was this Blossoming
tree with a turquoise background. It was painted as a
gift to Theo's newborn son, Vincent. He was born three months prior to
his namesake and famous uncle's suicide.
All these images are in the public domain and are copyright free in the United States.
See photos taken at the Philadelphia Museum of Art here.
Although Vincent never experienced the validation and fame he
deserved, his mission in life certainly has been accomplished; probably
more than almost any other artist that has ever lived.
"I want to touch people with my art. I want them to say, 'He feels deeply, he feels tenderly." ~ Vincent van Gogh
