Post-Impressionism--Van+Gogh--section+1







Post-impressionism was an art movement during the late 1800’s when artists began separating from the customary impressionistic art era. The style of post-impressionism embodies the expression of feeling and emotion rather than stark, lucid paintings. Post-impressionism mainly focuses on an underlying message portrayed in a work of art, as opposed to an obvious message. These paintings convey an pleasing beauty mixed with conceptual, abstract messages or ideas, which create an appealing balance that truly exemplifies a transition into a new art epoch. Vincent van Gogh is a world- renowned post impressionistic painter who perfectly captured the elements used for this age of painting.

Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch painter born in 1853, son of Reverend Theodorus van Gogh. The van Gogh family came from a line of clergy and art dealers, but at a young age, there was no thought that Vincent would be one of the most famous artists in the world. After early schooling, the young Vincent did not return, but instead, went to become an apprentice for an art company in which his family dealt with. During his apprenticeship, Vincent learned the wonders of art and old versus more contemporary painting. Soon, Vincent collected illustrations made by fellow artists, which portrayed black and white depictions of British social problems. From this, he became very interested in French and English poetry and writings, and his knowledge grew as he read more and more novels.

Despite some formal training, Vincent was mainly self-taught when it came to art. He believed that he first must master the art of drawing and painting in black and white, and once that was done, he could move onto painting in color and soon enough, he created his first independent works were in watercolor and oil paint. Vincent had a significant attraction to Barbizon artists, specifically Jean-François Millet, and through this, he was inspired to paint rural life. Van Gogh began to be known as a figure-artist, for his specialty was painting silhouettes. Suddenly, however, Vincent’s luck had run out. Van Gogh soon began having severe mental breakdowns, possibly some form of epilepsy, which made him a danger to himself. In 1888, Vincent suffered a critical breakdown, where as a result, he cut off part of his ear with a razor. He continued painting after that, however, in 1889, he entered an asylum at Saint-Rémy. Vincent painted over one hundred and fifty works during his time at the asylum, but just a year after he entered, he left. Upon his return home, he painted many more works in his last months alive. In summer of 1890, Vincent died two days after a suicide attempt.

One of van Gogh’s major goals was to become an avant-garde artist, and he accomplished this with “flying colors.” He began an artistic trend that set a base for modern art. His works not only are painted intricately and beautifully, but in a manner, which embodies the post-impressionistic spirit. These paintings have underlying meanings that individually give them significance and make them stand out. Just as a “mad” scientist would be the creator of something that changes the scientific world, Vincent van Gogh was a “mad” artist who truly impacted and changed the art world forever.



 Created in 1888, //Sower with Setting Sun is one of van Gogh’s earlier paintings. This painting represents Vincent’s admiration for a rural and country-like art. His fascination for this theme inspired this painting, which depicts a sower in a field at sunset. This work has bold colors and an abstract, modern look. Instead of traditionally painting solid colors, this work of van Gogh is mostly made up of dots of color, giving it a new twist. The painting represents the hard work of a sower from dawn until sunset and gives an idea of a rural sense of living. // Vincent van Gogh://Sower with Setting Sun, oil on canvas, 640×805 mm, 1888 (Otterlo, Rijksmuseum Kröller-Müller); photo credit: Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY //



 In 1889, Vincent van Gogh painted a //self-portrait. Vincent uses a different technique by giving this portrait an abstract look using a swirl-like texture. This portrait displays use of vivid colors and large and thick brushstrokes. This painting portrays an almost mysterious and cartoon-like interpretation of van Gogh. The vibrancy and defined look makes this painting very unique and different for this era, and it represents a new, modern, innovative way of painting. // Vincent van Gogh: //Self-portrait, oil on canvas, 650×545 mm, 1889 (Paris, Musée d’Orsay); photo credit: Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY //





 Inspired by a traditional idea, van Gogh painted a nocturnal scene in 1889, //Starry Night.This painting also shows a swirl-like technique, different from a traditional portrayal of a nighttime sky. This painting was interpreted with a kind of whimsical and religious meaning, and the swirling stars are supposed to represent the “equally tormented soul of an artist.” Torn and with a gyre-like appearances, these stars really express the creative mind and soul of a working artist and their determination to create masterpieces. //  Vincent van Gogh: //Starry Night // , oil on canvas, 736×921 mm, 1889 (New York, Museum of Modern Art); photo © The Museum of Modern Art/Licensed by Scala/Art Resource, NY

//Church at Auvers-sur-Oise // was one of van Gogh’s last works, made in 1890. Known as the “Romanesque church,” this church was in Vincent’s own village. Van Gogh gives the church a cartoon-like, distorted look. Again, this painting has bright colors and textural elements. It gives off an ominous tone and seems very dark and morbid for a painting of a church.

Vincent van Gogh: //Church at Auvers-sur-Oise // , oil on canvas, 940×740 mm, 1890 (Paris, Musée d’Orsay); Photo credit: Scala/Art Resource, NY



"Vincent van Gogh." //Oxford Art Online: Grove Art Online // . Oxford University Press, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. <http://www.oxfordartonline.com/ subscriber/article/grove/art/T033020#F015542>.

"Vincent van Gogh." //<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Met Museum // <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">. Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/gogh/hd_gogh.htm>. //<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Van Gogh Self-Portrait // <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. < http://www.rcs.k12.va.us/csjh/06_07_web/erinF/van_Gogh_self_portrait.jpg //<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Vincent van Gogh Images // <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. <http://www.edupics.com/ en-coloring-pictures-pages-photo-vincent-van-gogh-p7513.jpg>.


 * Alanna Kilkeary**