Vincent Van Gogh had a career that spanned only ten years. (1881 – 1890)
Part of his transformation comes from the fact that in 1886 he moved from the Netherlands to Paris. This change in environment had a profound effect on his work. But… there is a little thing I want to point out. I believe there was this small little thing, in his painting that dramatically changed his work.
And I think it might have been a mistake. Or maybe, because of his poverty, he ran out of a paint and had to substitute a color. Let’s take a look-see.
First let’s get a look at one of the early works he painted while living in the Netherlands. This is “Vase with Honesty” and it was painted in 1884-85. And it pretty typical of his early work in terms of the dreariness of it. The muted absence of color is evident.
But something happened to him in France and it might have been the environment. He saw, and painted things different. And this is exemplified in one painting. That I believe is the one where he began his famous transformation into the legend he now is.
The year is 1887 and let’s take a look at two very similar paintings that are actually very very different.
This is still live with basket of apples. And it is a bit livelier than the previous image. You might even say we clearly see those brave and daring Van Gogh brush strokes. But he is not quite there yet. It’s when color comes in to play.
Here is a second still life with apples but wow! Where did that small patch of blue brush strokes come from?
Those couple of dozen blue brush strokes changed everything. That is Van Gogh. Just these few brush strokes mark the transition. And I find myself wondering why he did this? Was it a mistake? An exploration? An insight? A mistake?
With these two paintings of the same bowl, with the same ten apples we can see the transformation from an oil painter to a gifted artist that has had an effect on the world.
Whatever caused this beautiful little batch of blue brush strokes is a mystery. But, with it came a blossoming of the artist. That’s my belief.
