The Victual Painting Still Life of Oranges and Lemons with Blue Gloves by Vincent van Gogh Essay

One of the most celebrated work of victual arts is the painting by the renowned artist and painter Vincent van Gogh. The 'Still Life of Oranges and Lemons with Blue Gloves' is a piece of art that evokes different emotions to the viewing audience due to the distinct use of color, line, composition, and other formal artistic elements by van Gogh. This painting has made a splendid depiction of shapes with a particular emphasis on the various orbs seen in the image where the painter excels in making good use of hues. The 'Still Life of Oranges and Lemons with Blue Gloves' also stands out due to the original sense of color that the artist uses extraordinarily well, especially in the capture of the branches, the fruits, and the garden gloves. Van Gogh does not also hold back in the application of the paint in this work of art as it gives a rich expression of the subjects that consist mainly of victuals. The composition of the painting is well balanced in rhythm and harmony as the painter ensured that this composition neither clutters the background with numerous details nor the foreground (Van Gogh, 2014). The composition is completed by the shapes of the fruits that created a sophisticated integration of the subjects.

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Like his other works of art that mainly consisted of remarkable paintings, this work of art was no different because van Gogh utilized the usual materials for which he had a penchant which was oil on canvas. The painter was fond of the impasto painting technique that had been in extensive usage in the Italy where it was passed down for generations through iconic artists. The impasto technique used in this painting calls for use of the oil paint straight out of its tube without necessarily having to dilute it or thin it. Obviously before commencing the painted art the painter had to sketch the initial drawing using charcoal. The material of preference for the renowned painter was a canvas, either on the ground or stretched on a wooden board surface (Van Gogh, 2014). The oily paint is quickly applied on the canvas with either a brush or a palette knife to create a texture that is thick. The impasto technique stands out because the brushwork and the strokes used on the painting are clearly evident. The use of a variety of brushes is also visible due to the different marks left on the dried canvas.

A quick glance on this victual painting and the viewing audience can decipher the various subjects and their representation. There are the conspicuous citrus fruits that have been casually arrayed inside the farm basket made of wicker. The citrus fruits are arrayed against the weaving of the tiny sticks whose paintwork shows they are dry. Then the painter ensured that there are the clearly visible cypress branches on both sides of the painting with then fruit basket composed centrally in the painting. The distinct brushwork shows the branches together with their prickly needle-shaped leaves. The much revered painter is on record as describing this specific work of painted art as having an 'air of chic' (Van Gogh, 2014). This is in clear reference of the victual subjects in the painting that are given credence by the blue gloves besides the fruit basket. The painting is a representation of a garden enthusiast or horticultural aficionado going by the subject depicted in it. It is a portrayal of how productive nature can be to mankind if only they treated their world better. The use of shapes, line, and color in this magnificent painting leaves the viewer dreaming of an ideal world where the balanced harmony of the image could be a reality.

Reference

Van Gogh, V. (2014). Delphi complete works of Vincent van Gogh (Illustrated). Delphi Classics.