Almond Blossoms Art Analysis

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Is mental illness a common theme in successful artists? Many artists in the twentieth century suffered from mental illness, but went undiagnosed because there was not as extensive research there is nowadays. Some artists that have been suspected of having a mental illness are Marina Abramovic, Edvard Munch, Jackson Pollock, and Vincent Van Gogh. Those suffering from mental illness think very differently than those without. This could be the reasoning for why these artists have created works that are so unique from others at the time and have been deemed as masterpieces. Also forming art could have been their only way in dealing with the struggles of their life. It was a form of release. It was a way for them to reflect on their past, and to …show more content…
From being able to understand Van Gogh’s ‘Almond Blossoms’, his life, and how the Van Gogh Museum portrays this image one is able to validate why this artwork is a masterpiece.

A formal visual analysis of ‘Almond Blossoms’ will give information to the viewer, besides one’s visual observations. This painting is an impressionist painting because it was completed in the 19th Century and has many qualities other pieces in this art movement included such as, visible brush strokes, emphasis on light, and the inclusion of movement. As Homburg discusses in ‘Van Gogh Up Close’ there is a “Stark contrast of branches and blossoms against the blue sky, highly articulated, stylized representation turning the painting into a dramatic statement” (Homburg, p. 25). Colors play an important role in this piece as they make the tree and blossoms to become more prominent and show the importance of spring. The prominent colors in this work are among the spectrum of blue. The background is blue subjecting the sky, and the branches of this tree are of a turquoise color. The blossoms are of a white color with a pink tinge. When this painting was completed it is believed the blossoms were more pink, but with time and
…show more content…
This artwork has stood the test of time. It was finished in 1890, but still attracts many people to come visit it because he made his experiences universal by making a traditional connection of the beautiful with the good. This piece is considered a masterpiece by different generations because people of many ages are still able to look at this piece and know it has meaning for them. This painting had a purposeful approach, as he was describing what he could not say in words. Van Gogh describes in his letters that one must empathize with the subject in order to have a deeply personal quality” (Jansen p. 30). Those who view his paintings have been able to understand what he is trying to say, which has aided in his artworks status as a masterpiece. If one is not able to understand the message in the work, it is hard to understand the painting as a whole. In addition Van Gogh also understood the art world as he worked in the art market, so he knew what was going to sell. Although, many works he finished did not sell because he wanted to have a personal relationship with the buyer and his “objective was an intense magnification of the artist’s perception, thus allowing him to touch the essence of reality” (Jansen p. 16). This was a prominent reason he became so famous, which was because he wasn’t trying to be well known. He painted for himself, and he painted for those who were important to him. This piece was very personal to

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