The Person - Vincent Van Gogh
The artistry of Dutch artists, Vincent Van Gogh has influenced culture, perhaps more than any other painter. His career lasted a decade (1880 - 1890), yet he painted almost a thousand pieces. With the financial help of his younger brother, Theo, he was able to do what he truly loved. Paint. Sadly, his life was frequently sidetracked with failing relationships, alcohol and poor health. Vincent lived to be 37. Theo, his brother, died 6 months later. I would like to share his painting, the Potato Eaters (1885).
Vincent understood the adversities of the less fortunate. He had compassion for their plight.
The Painting - The Potato Eaters
These people eating in the lamplight have dug the earth with the same hands the place in the dish. This painting speaks of manual labor and how they have earned their food. Van Gogh has compassion on the lower class of the day. We see the modesty and humility of the dwelling. Only a clock and a picture rest on the wall. We see the same modesty with the potatoes and coffee.
I wonder what the dinner conversation is about?
The painting had little popularity during his life but now acknowledged as his first masterpiece. Members of the de Groot farming family of the Netherlands are pictured at the table. His artistry is done in a post-impressionism style. He had done several drawings of this before completing the final work. The painting was stolen twice, in 1989 and 1991, but has since been recovered.
The Haiku Poem
The painting exhibits a baron and sparse life. To compliment the theme, I chose is a haiku (5 - 7 -5) poem.
The Potato Eaters
Hunger at hardship's table
Labors of the earth.
