Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
in 1888. For the next two years of his brief life, he cranked out a canvas nearly every other
day. He loved painting the rural landscape and the colorful life of the locals.
The Arena at Arles
(1888): Like a spontaneous photograph, this painting captures the
bustle of spectators at the town's bullfighting ring. The scene is slightly off-kilter, focusing
on the crowds rather than action in the ring. Van Gogh typically painted in a hurry, and you
can see it in the hurried lines and sketchy faces.
Memories of the Garden at Etten
(
Ladies of Arles,
1888): In the fall of 1888, Gauguin
came to visit Van Gogh. The two friends roomed together and painted side by side. It was
Gauguin who suggested that Vincent change things up and paint something besides Impres-
sionist scenes of everyday life. The result was this startling canvas, in which Vincent por-
trayed a garden he remembered from his childhood. The vivid colors had special meaning
to him, representing the personalities of his mother and sister. The style shows the influen-
ce of Gauguin—big swaths of bright colors, divided by thick black outlines.
The Lilac Bush
(1889): On December 23, 1888, a drunk and angry Van Gogh turned on
Gauguin, threatening him with a knife. Then he cut off a piece of his own ear and sent it to
a prostitute. Judged insane, Van Gogh checked into a mental hospital for treatment. There
he painted this simple subject that bristles with life, a forest of thick brushstrokes charged
with Van Gogh's strong emotions.
The Cottages
(1890): Van Gogh moved north of Paris in 1890 to be under a doctor's
care. The wavy brushstrokes and surreal colors of this work suggest an uncertain frame of
mind. This was one of Vincent's last paintings. A few weeks later, he wandered into a field
