Vincent Van Gogh: Living With Art

Vincent van Gogh “…I have found in my work something to which I can devote myself heart and soul…” (Living with Art p.10). Vincent van Gogh was a deeply disturbed man, however, he found his form of expression through art. Initially working as an art broker with his brother, Theo, he soon come to make art of his own (van Gogh’s p.11). However, the years he spent working with and on his art were in the latter ten years of his life (Living with Art p.10). While working through his troubles, he went on to create The Potato Eaters, Irises, Sunflowers, mostly widely known The Starry Night, and a multitude of self-portraits (vangoghgallery).
Van Gogh is widely known today for being insane and having poor mental health, and cutting his ear off due …show more content…
In 1884 and 1885, van Gogh depicted many scenes of peasants (vangoghgallery). In 1885, he completed The Potato Eaters (vangoghgallery). The painting as a whole, emits a very dark and depressing feeling. The same feeling people get when they come across something unfortunate, such as poor people. The hue and variations in tints and shades are very dark and gloomy. However, there is a single light source above the table at which the family is eating. The light is positioned in a way to show that the potatoes, the family has harvested, is bringing light to the family. In regards to mechanics, there are implied lines, like the dinner table where the family is sitting, the door frame behind the family, and the window in the background. Also, the human figures are anatomically correct and proportional; As van Gogh began his art career working toward perfecting perspective and human figures. Through the depictions of the peasants, his intentions were to show how “…have tilled the earth themselves with the same hands they are putting in the dish…” (Met). Van Gogh wanted to show how the poor were viewed, but also the effort they put into simply getting food on the …show more content…
Van Gogh had a very distinct brush movement; each of his painting are completed with the same strokes. Also, likely due to his mental issues, each of his paintings have aspects included that could be seen as sorrowful. Whether it be from the colors used, or what is actually represented; when each painting is analyzed there are factors incorporated that bring the viewer down. Moreover, all of van Gogh’s art work are representational. There is always something to be seen in each of his pieces of work. Vincent van Gogh found his calling late in life, and struggled everyday with the mental problems he suffered. However, he found his expression through art. He worked toward bettering himself when he started toying with figure and perspective, and ultimately used each of his works to further his skills. He took advantage of what was readily available to him and made his