Vincent van Gogh was a remarkable 19th century post-impressionist artist who led a life of obscurity with only one painting being sold during his lifetime and a few other artworks traded for art supplies. The paintings produced during the the peak of this art movement or genre were characterized by the vivid, arbitrary colour usage of the artists, the thick application of paint, distinctive brush strokes, and preference for real life subject matter where geometric forms were emphasized and often distorted for expressive effect. During my first year at Tuks studying graphic design I had the opportunity to take Art History as a subject and I had a brief, but intense introduction to the various art movements dating back as far as the timeline allowed to more recent art movements such as digital art and postmodernism.
The advertisement of Coronation Fund Managers featured a chronological exposition of Van Gogh's artworks where a few inconsistencies came to light. In order of appearance, some of the paintings that were highlighted during the advertisement include:
Sunflowers, France: August, 1888
Vincent's Bedroom in Arles, Saint-Rémy: September, 1889
Wheatfield with crows, Auvers-sur-Oise: July, 1890
Irises, Saint-Rémy, France: May, 1889
Self-Portrait with bandaged ear, Arles: January, 1889
The starry night, Saint-Rémy, France: June, 1889
Looking at the dates when these paintings were produced by Van Gogh, it is evident that the advertisement was not an accurate reflection of the chronological order of his paintings.
Overwhelmed by the emotions threatening to consume him, Vincent van Gogh mutilated the lower part of his ear on 23 December 1888, which was not only indicative of the chaotic mental state he was in, but could also have been attributed to a lovers' spat with fellow artist, Paul Gauguin, according to my Art History professor at university.
Wheatfield with crows was an ominous composition of acidic colours and disjointed brush strokes, which was symbolic of the disconnection he felt towards both the subject matter at hand as well as life. This artwork was produced towards the end of his lifetime just before he commited suicide. Even though he was such a tortured individual prone to self mutilation and mental instability, Vincent van Gogh was a brilliant artist and the ostentatious swirls of gas and bold brushwork of Starry night still leave me in awe.
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