![]() He may have made a preparatory drawing in charcoal on the canvas, then laid down thin layers of paint, probably including lead white at this stage. Satisfied that this would make a good painting, he took a prepared canvas of about 73 by 93 cm (29 x 37 inches) and started to paint, again in front of the motif. To achieve this view, he may well have left the immediate surrounds of the asylum and worked en plein air, out in the heat. He then broadened the view to extend to a Wheatfield with Cypresses (1889), which he drew using black chalk and his reed pen (above), probably in late June. Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), Wheatfield with Cypresses (1889), black chalk and pen, 47 x 62 cm, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), Cypresses (1889), oil on canvas, 93.4 x 74 cm, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. ![]() From this, he made a painting in oils (below), which follows it closely. Perhaps this pen-and-ink drawing (above) was his first take, showing these two cypresses almost superimposed. Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Museum, via Wikimedia Commons. Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), Cypresses (1889), reed pen, graphite, quill, and brown and black ink on wove Latune et Cie Balcons paper, 61.9 × 47.3 cm, Brooklyn Museum, New York, NY. During a period of intense creativity in June and July of 1889, he first drew parts of this view, then turned those drawings into paintings. When van Gogh was in the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole mental asylum at Saint-Rémy near Arles, he could see through a window a view of wheatfields and dark Provençal cypress trees, with the Alpilles Mountains in the distance. The tree is only demarcated from that background – the grass below, and trees behind – by discontinuity in the structure and orientation of his marks. These marks are starting to form whorls and swirls in places, including the background vegetation. Although there are a couple of glimpses of the underlying anatomical trunk and branch structure, this chestnut, in full leaf and flower, has a more solid canopy built from visible and organised brushstrokes. Wikimedia Commons.Įarly signs appear in his painting of a Blossoming Chestnut Tree from 1887. Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), Blossoming Chestnut Tree (1887), oil on canvas, 56 x 46.5 cm, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. ![]() These didn’t come out of the blue, but had evolved over a period of a couple of years, as his brushstrokes became more organised into co-ordinated waves and swirls in their foliage. Through these masterpieces, we can see the artist’s mastery over color theory and form while offering a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people living at that time in Southern France.No one painted trees, particularly cypresses, like Vincent van Gogh. In summary, Vincent van Gogh’s portraits of Joseph Roulin commemorate an important relationship that offered him companionship during difficult times while showcasing his admiration for Japanese artistry. The painting conveys both Van Gogh’s nostalgia for their lost friendship and his admiration for Roulin’s resilience amid economic hardship. For example, this particular portrait was created after Roulin left Arles for Marseilles when he secured a better-paying job. The artwork stands out due to its vibrant use of color and expressive brushwork that captures the emotion behind each portrait. Van Gogh painted over 20 portraits of Roulin and his family during their friendship, showcasing their difficult lives as working-class people. This influence is evident in some of the portraits where Van Gogh experimented with bold colors and stylized lines inspired by Japanese woodblock prints. The paintings also highlight Van Gogh’s strong connection to Japanese art, which he discovered through magazine illustrations. At least six portraits of Roulin were painted during this time period, showcasing Van Gogh’s love for capturing the character and soul of his subjects. Roulin became one of Van Gogh’s closest friends and favorite sitters. ![]() Vincent van Gogh’s friendship with Joseph Roulin, the postmaster in Arles, played a significant role in the artist’s life during his stay in Southern France. ![]()
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