Vincent van Gogh
(Dutch, 1853-1890)
The Old Mill, 1888
Oil on canvas, 25 1/2 x 211/4"
Bequest of A. Conger Goodyear, 1966

In February 1888, Vincent van Gogh (van go)left the cold, gray winter of Paris and moved to the town of Arles, in southern France. The colors and light of the south had an inspirational effect, and van Gogh created more than two hundred paintings in fifteen months. The work in the Gallery's collection is called The Old Mill, although by the artist's time the building had probably been converted into a farmhouse. The farmhouses and fertile fields of the area can be seen in the background, as well as the Arpilles mountains north of Arles, and a pale green sky. In the foreground, a man and woman stop to talk near the quick-flowing stream.

Van Gogh's major importance comes from his use of color. He was one of the first artists to free color from a merely descriptive function; that is, objects did not have to be reproduced on canvas in their natural colors. Van Gogh had specific theories of painting, which were clearly articulated in hundreds of letters to his brother and friends. He wanted to represent emotions through the use of color, line, texture, and light. The Old Mill represents his joy in the colors, beauty, light, and warmth of the south.

Van Gogh was often criticized for working too quickly. A closer look at The Old Mill, however, reveals the care with which the brushstrokes were applied. He used various types of brushstrokes for different parts of the landscape: for example, short, directional ones for the foliage; long, vertical ones for the purple fence posts; and smooth, curved strokes for the sky. Van Gogh wrote that he thought about each painting at length in advance, thus could work quickly when he finally began to paint. For this reason, he said, "When anyone says that such and such is done too quickly....they have looked at it too quickly."

There are many misconceptions about Vincent van Gogh. He is often viewed as a tragic hero whose genius was cut down prematurely by his suicide at age thirty-seven. There is no doubt that he suffered from some sort of illness that caused periods of irrational behavior, especially late in his life. Although no one will ever know with certainty, the most widely accepted theory is that he suffered from a form of epilepsy, perhaps compounded by digitalis poisoning, glaucoma, overconsumption of absinthe, or syphilis. When suffering from an attack, van Gogh could not paint, although work done during his periods of lucidity often reflect his suffering. It is important to remember, however, that many of his paintings3ƒ4including The Old Mill3ƒ4do not represent suffering, but joy.

3ƒ4 Mariann Smith