Still life paintings by Vincent van Gogh (Netherlands)

The next two years (1886–1887), transformed the subjects, color and techniques that van Gogh used in creating still life paintings. In Paris he painted many still life paintings of flowers, experimenting with color, light and techniques he learned from modern artists.

Background

Van Gogh moved to Nuenen in 1884 where he lived for two years. Upon van Gogh's arrival, a studio was made for him from a laundry room at the back of his parents' home. Vincent's father, Reverend van Gogh wrote to his son Theo: "We do not think it’s really suitable, but we have had a proper stove installed... I wanted to put in a large window as well, but he prefers not to have one." During that time he completed numerous drawings and watercolors and nearly 200 oil paintings.

In November 1884, van Gogh taught some friends from Eindhoven, a large town near Nuenen, to paint inanimate objects in oil. Van Gogh, in his enthusiasm, created a series of still life paintings of bottles, bowls and pots and other objects. When van Gogh created still life paintings he was able to explore light and its effect on colors. A close-up of the bottle in Still Life with Straw Hat reveals that way in which van Gogh used varying shades of the same color to depict how light would fall, or be shaded, in the everyday items he painted from home or the garden.

His palette consisted mainly of dark earth tones, particularly dark brown, and he showed no sign of developing the vivid coloration that distinguishes his later, best known work. When van Gogh complained to his brother Theo van Gogh (art dealer) that he was not making enough effort to sell his paintings in Paris, Theo replied that they were too dark and not in line with the current style of bright Impressionist paintings.

Students

Van Gogh found three students who took painting classes from him. Anton Kerssemakers, a tanner of about 40 years of age, who had money and time to pursue painting, promised to make 30 paintings over the winter. He met Kerssemakers on a trip to Gennep that resulted in van Gogh's three paintings of the Water Mill at Gennep. There was also two people he called "the Hermanns" who took lessons, but weren't as intensely interested as Anton. Van Gogh said in a letter to his brother Theo that he was not looking to receive payment in money, rather he'd prefer to be rewarded by providing him tubes of paint.

Rumored affair

Van Gogh did not live at the parsonage the entire time he was in Nuenen. For a time he lived with a priest and was rumored to have become involved with the priest's servant that resulted in a pregnancy. The priest condemned van Gogh for the rumored activity and many people within the village felt he was guilty.

Van Gogh wrote in September 1885, "That affair with the priest has not given me any more trouble. But of course there will always be God-fearing natives in the village who will persist in suspecting me, for one thing is sure, namely that the priest would only too gladly throw the whole blame of that affair on me. However, as I am quite innocent, the gossip from that quarter leaves me perfectly indifferent; as long as they don't bother me in my painting. I don't take any notice of it whatever. With the peasants to whom the accident happened, where I often used to paint, I have remained on good terms, and I am as welcome in their home as I used to be."

Dark color

Van Gogh and his brother Theo exchanged letters about Vincent's propensity to use dark colors and the amount of black in his paintings. Theo was unable to sell any of his work and encouraged Vincent to explore creating work that is lighter in mood and shade.

In mid-October 1885, Vincent responded that the use of dark colors were more realistic and mature, "I am writing you rather a long letter – though perhaps you may not believe what I say about the colours, and though you may find me pessimistic when I say that much of what is called delicate grey is a very ugly grey; though you may find me pessimistic or worse when I also disapprove of the smooth polishing of faces, hands and eyes, because the great masters all worked in quite a different way, perhaps by and by your own study of art, which I am glad you took up again thoroughly, will change you too."