The Color in Vincent Van Gogh’s Life: An Analysis of The Sower and The Night Café

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Coming from a family greatly involved in art dealing, Vincent van Gogh was destined to have a place in the world of art. Van Gogh’s unique techniques and use of color, which clashed and differed greatly from the masters of the art world of his time, would eventually gain him the recognition as one of the founders of modern art. Van Gogh’s early life was heavily influenced by the role of his father who was a pastor and chose to follow in his footsteps. Although he abandoned the desire to become a pastor, van Gogh remained a spiritual being and was strong in faith. Plagued with a troubled mind and poor health, van Gogh’s life became filled with torment and isolation that would influence his career in later life as an artist. In his late twenties, van Gogh had decided that it was God’s divine plan for him to become a painter. His works would express through thoughtful composition and vibrant color, the emotions that he was unable to manifest in the real world. Van Gogh’s perception of reality and his technique would face harsh criticism and never receive full acceptance from his peers as a serious artist during his brief career. In a collection of correspondence entitled The Letters of a Post-Impressionist, Vincent confirmed these thoughts while writing to his brother Theo, “It irritates me to hear people say that I have no "technique." It is just possible that there is no trace of it, because I hold myself aloof from all painters” (27). His technique would later be marveled and revered by the art world. Vincent van Gogh’s legacy would thrive as it challenged the way the world envisioned modern art through his unique brush strokes and profound use of color as seen in his works The Sower and The Night Café. A brief look into... ... middle of paper ... ...h’s Work. PSYART: A Hyperlink Journal for the Psychological Study of the Arts. December 15, 2009. Web. 8 March 2014. Meier-Graefe, Julius. Vincent Van Gogh. London: The Medici Society Limited, 1922. eBook. 8 March 2014. Sund, Judy. "The Sower and the Sheaf: Biblical Metaphor in the Art of Vincent van Gogh." Art Bulletin. December 1988: 660-676. Web. 8 March 2014. The Van Gogh Gallery. 15 January 2013. Templeton Reid, LLC. Web. 8 March 2014. Van Gogh, V. W. Memoir of J. Van Gogh-Bonger. The Vincent van Gogh Gallery. David Brooks. 1996. Web. 8 March 2014. Van Gogh, Vincent. The Letters of a Post-Impressionist Being the Familiar Correspondence of Vincent van Gogh. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1913. eBook. 8 March 2014. Vincent and Theo. Dir. Robert Altman. Per. Tim Roth, Paul Rhys and Adrine Brine. Hemdale Film Corporation. 1990. Film.

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