Analysis of “The Potato Eaters” by Vincent Van Gogh
Impressionism and Post-Impressionism
Analysis of “The Potato Eaters” by Vincent Van Gogh
In 1883, after leaving his wife Sien and his children Vincent Van Gogh headed to Nuenen. Coming off a disturbing part of his life, which included the break up with his ex-wife with several issues and suffering from gonorrhea, he was having a considerably difficult time. In Nuenen, Van Gogh started to devote himself to drawing, and started to gain attachment and sympathy for the peasant way of living. This attachment brought him to study closer the works of Jean-François Millet, an artist who Van Gogh praised for his paintings of peasant working. Van Gogh believed the subjects to be of great importance to humanity; and he would also have great admiration for them as people for the fact that they would have an honest living with their harvests. After a series of paintings of peasants, he came out with “The Potato Eaters” . In a letter to Theo in April of 1885, Van Gogh mentions that his point in “The Potato Eaters” was to show everyday life, “to bring out the idea that these people eating potatoes by the light of their lamp dug the earth with the self-same hands they are now putting into the dish, and it thus suggests manual labor and – a meal honestly earned”. He also demonstrated himself worried to portray them genuinely, painting them as if he was one of them, feeling and thinking what they were thinking.
Before painting the definite version of this painting, Van Gogh produced numerous portrait studies and composition sketches in charcoal and oil. His drawings in charcoal were mainly used for him to study the proportions, something he was keen on following precisely. When he starts to paint in oil, the first sketch contains only four people, said to be the true representation of the scene. The second sketch was said to be primarily a study in chiaroscuro, which referred to the pictorial representation in terms of light
Analysis of “The Potato Eaters” by Vincent Van Gogh
In 1883, after leaving his wife Sien and his children Vincent Van Gogh headed to Nuenen. Coming off a disturbing part of his life, which included the break up with his ex-wife with several issues and suffering from gonorrhea, he was having a considerably difficult time. In Nuenen, Van Gogh started to devote himself to drawing, and started to gain attachment and sympathy for the peasant way of living. This attachment brought him to study closer the works of Jean-François Millet, an artist who Van Gogh praised for his paintings of peasant working. Van Gogh believed the subjects to be of great importance to humanity; and he would also have great admiration for them as people for the fact that they would have an honest living with their harvests. After a series of paintings of peasants, he came out with “The Potato Eaters” . In a letter to Theo in April of 1885, Van Gogh mentions that his point in “The Potato Eaters” was to show everyday life, “to bring out the idea that these people eating potatoes by the light of their lamp dug the earth with the self-same hands they are now putting into the dish, and it thus suggests manual labor and – a meal honestly earned”. He also demonstrated himself worried to portray them genuinely, painting them as if he was one of them, feeling and thinking what they were thinking.
Before painting the definite version of this painting, Van Gogh produced numerous portrait studies and composition sketches in charcoal and oil. His drawings in charcoal were mainly used for him to study the proportions, something he was keen on following precisely. When he starts to paint in oil, the first sketch contains only four people, said to be the true representation of the scene. The second sketch was said to be primarily a study in chiaroscuro, which referred to the pictorial representation in terms of light
Bibliography: ArtStory. (2012, 12 13). The Art Story. Retrieved 12 17, 2012, from Vincent Van Gogh Biography Art, and Analysis of Works: http://www.theartstory.org/artist-van-gogh-vincent.htm Benford, S. (2010, 12 14). Masterpiece Cards. Retrieved 12 12, 2012, from Vincent Van Gogh Paintings: The Potato Eaters: http://www.themasterpiececards.com/famous-paintings-reviewed/bid/30400/Vincent-van-Gogh-Paintings-The-Potato-Eaters Moodbook. (2012, 12 13). Moodbook. Retrieved 12 13, 2012, from Vincent Van Gogh. Study of art, painting and works: http://www.moodbook.com/history/postimpressionism/vincent-van-gogh-works.html#the-potato-eaters National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. (2012, 12 13). National Gallery of Art. Retrieved 12 13, 2012, from National Gallery of Art - Van Gogh 's Exhibition: http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/vgbro.shtm Rubin, J. H. (2010). Impressionism. London: Phaidon Press Limited. Thomson, B. (2009). Post-Impressionism. London: Tate Publishing. Van Gogh Gallery. (2011). Van Gogh Gallery. Retrieved 12 12, 2012, from The Potato Eaters by Vincent Van Gogh: http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/potatoindex.html Van Goghs Letters. (2012, 12 12). Van Goghs Letters. Retrieved 12 12, 2012, from Vincent Van Gogh to Theo van Gogh : c. 30 April 1885: http://www.webexhibits.org/vangogh/letter/15/404.htm?qp=art.theory Wikipedia. (2012, 12 13). Vincent Van Gogh. Retrieved 12 13, 2012, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh#Nuenen_and_Antwerp_.281883.E2.80.931886.29