It's been a long time since I wrote this series. Originally, when I was watching Funeral of Phryne, there was a scene in the first episode that paid homage to the classic painting Ophelia. I originally wanted to write about it, but the theme of that painting is love and death, and I didn't feel like writing about it. Plus, recently, Clash Proxy has been acting up and I don't know what the problem is. I can't access Google Art to find the original image.
And then I saw this.
The Green Wheatfield with Crows
Van Gogh is quite famous. To put it in more popular terms, Van Gogh is like a traffic password, although I don't really need traffic.
Van Gogh's Career#
Van Gogh's artistic career lasted only about ten years. He didn't start painting until he was 28 years old, and because he was considered too old, his prospects were not good. But in just 10 years, he created nearly 2,000 works, including over 40 self-portraits. Some say that Van Gogh's self-portraits are an analysis of the artist's self, a good material for studying his mental state, and studying the style of his self-portraits can trace the trajectory of his artistic career.
Van Gogh began to isolate himself and suffer from mental depression from an early age. During his teenage years, his family was economically disadvantaged. He worked as an art dealer, a pastor, and other professions, but was dismissed from all of them. In 1888, Van Gogh invited Gauguin to Arles to paint together, but stubborn Van Gogh had a big disagreement with Gauguin due to their different understanding of art. Gauguin left in anger, and Van Gogh cut off his own earlobe to show his guilt. The torn friendship could not be repaired, and Van Gogh became even more lonely, which may also be the reason why his art was so great during this period. With his brother Theo getting married and having a child, the family's finances also fell into difficulties, making it difficult to continue providing the desired support to Van Gogh.
Auvers Period#
Auvers was Van Gogh's final resting place, and this painting, created in the spring or early summer of 1890, belongs to the late period of Van Gogh's career. In May 1890, Van Gogh accepted Theo's suggestion to come to the small town of Auvers, not far from Paris, to receive treatment from Dr. Gachet, entering the Auvers period of his artistic creation. Just a side note, Van Gogh's portrait of Dr. Gachet during this period is quite famous. In that painting, the psychiatrist Gachet felt very uneasy about Van Gogh's mental state. Gachet not only took care of him as a doctor, but also interacted with Van Gogh as a friend who appreciated his artwork, providing him with tools and space for painting. Unfortunately, at this time, Van Gogh seemed to have lost his passion for painting. After two months of treatment in Auvers, he shot himself and soon left this world.
The Painting Itself#
Van Gogh's painting style is actually very distinctive. The vibrant brushstrokes and bright colors are Van Gogh's signature. Take "The Green Wheatfield with Crows" for example, it uses Van Gogh's signature bright colors, and the dynamic clouds give a sense of vitality. The heavy brushstrokes depict the texture of the wheatfield and the effect of the wind, significantly enhancing the expressiveness of the painting. The green wheatfield expresses Van Gogh's love for nature. Van Gogh painted dozens of works about wheatfields because he greatly admired nature and manual laborers. This painting is also considered Van Gogh's praise for nature and rural life. It adopts an unconventional composition and perspective, somewhat similar to the style of Chinese ink painting, with the diagonal lines of the wheatfield echoing the arc of the sky, giving a sense of vastness and openness.
Irresponsible Subjective Opinion#
Indeed, I feel a contradiction here. Generally, painters express their inner feelings through their paintings. This painting is full of vitality and energy, and it is hard to imagine that the person who painted it would commit suicide two months later. So here is an irresponsible personal opinion:
In his artistic creation, Van Gogh often transformed his emotions and inner experiences into the colors and forms in his paintings. He may use art to express his inner world, seeking emotional release and balance. Therefore, although he may have experienced pain and distress in his heart, he chose to express images of vitality and energy in his creations.
Furthermore, despite the struggles and pain Van Gogh experienced throughout his life, there were also moments when he felt beauty and hope. When creating "The Green Wheatfield with Crows," he may have been trying to convey his love for life and hope through colors and forms. After all, he may have come to Auvers with hope.