Vincent Van Gogh — The Complete Paintings
In the times of Corona, one of the best things to do was to read through Van Gogh’s life, at least so I thought. I had bought this book a while ago but never had a chance of reading through it. I am not going to go in detail of Vincent’s life, honestly I did not read that much since I was captivated by the beauty of the paintings.
Below you can find the paintings that striked me most in no particular order.
Enjoy!
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“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.”
— Van Gogh
This is Cafe Terrace, a cafe Van Gogh visited a lot near to end of his life. You can also see a first attempt of starry background which gives hints about what comes next.
Phenomenal isn’t it ? Just after Cafe Terrace painting, Van Gogh painted this view from over a bank that is 1–2 minutes walking distance from where he stayed as a rental hotel room. Below you can find the sketches of the painting which he sent in a letter to Eugene Boch.
Next up is:
After Vincent learnt that his brother had a son, he immediately drew this painting that depicts blossoming new life.
“Normality is a paved road: It’s comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it.” — Van Gogh
Of course this post could not be without a sunflower painting. Sunflowers are so important to Van Gogh since he though it signals “gratitude.” The upper one was made for Paul Gaugin.
“If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.” — Van Gogh
In a letter to Theo(his brother) he wrote this about the place:
“I have tried to express the terrible passions of humanity by means of red and green. The room is blood red and dark yellow with a green billiard table in the middle; there are four lemon-yellow lamps with a glow of orange and green. Everywhere there is a clash and contrast of the most alien reds and greens, in the figures of little sleeping hooligans, in the empty dreary room, in violet and blue. The blood-red and the yellow-green of the billiard table, for instance, contrast with the soft tender Louis XV green of the counter, on which there is a rose nosegay. The white clothes of the landlord, watchful in a corner of that furnace, turn lemon-yellow, or pale luminous green.”
— Van Gogh
“I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.” — Van Gogh
“I try more and more to be myself, caring relatively little whether people approve or disapprove.” — Van Gogh
And of course, next up is the Yellow House:
“The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has its pearls too” — Van Gogh
And below you can find the current state of Yellow House:
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” — Van Gogh
Throughout the book, there are lots of portraits. However, the one below is different. It has so much colors blended together that it is confusing to feel how harmonious it seems.
“I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.” — Van Gogh
The one below is considered one of the top-5 works of Van Gogh. The painting shows the plain of La Crau which is located just outside of Arles. Look how much familiar it seems to you even if it is maybe the first time you encounter it.
I do not really know what it is about the painting below, but I have used it as a background of my phone for over a year. It always reminds me how lonely you are in this devastatingly beautiful world.
A great fire burns within me, but no one stops to warm themselves at it, and passers-by only see a wisp of smoke — Van Gogh
You can’t be at the Pole and at the Equator at the same time. You must choose your own line, as I hope to do, and it will probably be colour. — Vincent Van Gogh
There are a lot of versions of The Sower, but this one is the best in my humble opinion. What makes this unique is the brighter and bigger sun at the background also the colors used are not the ones you expected from a field.
You can look at all other paintings from the Google’s site. Click
If you want a short introduction to Van Gogh’s life please refer to the video below.
I would like to conclude the article giving suggestions about the best films depicting Van Gogh’s life (one is animation). Enjoy.
Cheers until the next episode,
R.
