A Gallery

The High Museum Visit: Vincent Van Gogh

Van Gogh's own popularity may have been the only downfall of seeing the small selection of his work displayed at the High Museum in Atlanta. Since The High is in my hometown, I naturally have a bias to its exhibits and atmosphere. I can be as comfortable there as I would be if I was to view Van Gogh's masterpieces hanging on my own living room wall. However, the throngs of people filing in and out of the museum in Atlanta quickly made me aware that I was not in the comfort of my own home. Still the exhilaration and excitement of viewing a true master's work, combined with my foreknowledge of this assignment, enticed me order my tickets, fight the crowd, and climb the three flights of stairs to see three pieces of Van Gogh's work on display: "Port'ait of Joseph Roulin, 1889," "The Olive Trees, 1889," and "Starry Night."

The show was comprised of two rooms. The first room contained "Port'ait of Joseph Roulin," serving almost as a rite to passage, building your excitement and anticipation of seeing Van Gogh's most famous piece, "Starry Night," which you knew hung in the very next room just momentarily out of view. "The Olive Trees" was also hanging in this second room. The paintings were each hung on their own individual deep red wall. There was a fair amount of natural light provided by the huge windows that comprise the ceiling of The High. The light shone in through a huge case-opening doorframe that divided the two rooms; however, the rooms were not overly or intrusively bright. A string of lights hung angled toward each work to provide a luminescent feel. Also adorning the walls were a great deal of informative print and personal quotes from Van Gogh's letters. And although this print was insightful, it also proved distracting while viewing the work.

The "Port'ait of Joseph Roulin" was painted while Vincent was in the town of Arles in the south of France. The countryside appealed to him, and it was there in nature that he developed his "expressive brushstrokes, flat areas of intense color, and energetic contour lines." For Van Gogh, portraiture served many purposes. It was way of connecting the common people of Arles to art, a way of gaining admirers, and a way to stay in touch with humanity. Van Gogh always picked common people of admirable character to paint such as the postman Roulin, whom he painted six times. The "Port'ait of Joseph Roulin, 1889" is an oil on canvas. It has Van Gogh's distinctive rough brushstrokes and a bright green background. Roulin's kind face radiates from the center of the canvas. His blue eyes gaze directly at the viewer as if to look gently back at the one viewing him. His official blue uniform and cap frame his face and beard. The spiral locks in his beard are echoed in the swirling background of color.

Both the "Olive Trees" and "Starry Night" were inspired by the view of the landscape surrounding the insane asylum in St. Remy. The "Olive Trees" came from Vincent's view of an orchard of olive trees and the Alpilles, a nearby chain of limestone mountains. This work is also an oil on canvas; however, it contains more motion than Van Gogh's "Port'ait of Joseph Roulin." There is a rhythm in the painting provided by the long wavy brushstrokes that encompass every aspect of the work. The sky, the mountains, the trees, and the ground all are formed by the same wavy brushstrokes. Along with the rhythm of the work is the energy of the work, provided in part by the brushstrokes and in part by the "bright and vibrant" colors. When I looked at the painting, I felt that if I were to stand among that landscape that I, too, would wave in an intense wind of constant motion. The painting is said to be indicative of Van Gogh's passion.

"Starry Night" is by far Van Gogh's most famous work. Prints of this masterpiece hang in dorm rooms, living rooms, rec. rooms, hallways-- the list is endless. This famous scene is based on drawings and memories of the town of St. Remy. However, much artistic liberty was taken. For instance, the tall church in the painting does not match the much shorter tower of the actual church in the town. Also the trees and stars are visibly exaggerated for emotional effect. The paint in this oil on canvas was very thickly applied, and again the brushstrokes were very apparent. Van Gogh used the strong color contrast of yellow and blue to incite the emotion of the night. It has been noted that "Van Gogh thought that the night was much more animated and richly colored than the day." This statement proves true in Vincent's swirling motion and intense colors of his night scene. The bright moon along with the focal point in the center of each star draw the viewer's eye; both seem to radiate intensity.

Overall, I thought the exhibit was good, a little crowded, but that is to be expected-can you really blame people for showing up in flocks to see the work of the highly acclaimed Van Gogh? After all, I was there.

all the information on this page was received at the High Muesem of Art itself

all pictures on this page retrieved from: artchive.com: 1st picture- "Olive Trees," 2nd- "Starry Night" both by Van Gogh