You are absolutely right! But it’s Mother’s Day…I’ll have to save the father post for June. Also, he never painted a portrait of his father. Just his father’s Bible, which is pretty interesting.
Yeah, he just kept trying to paint that sower image over and over, didn’t he? And none of them are really outstanding images to me, but he didn’t give up on it.
This is so powerful, Robyn, and beautifully constructed. It spoke right to me. Vincent is a wonder, trying so hard to please his family and, as you point out, trying to make one of his own, and yet never compromising his way of seeing.
Thanks, Elizabeth! I really felt for him as I was reading the biography. I mean, we all have family issues of one sort or another, but he clearly felt like the black sheep from such an early age.
Thanks so much, Rona! I haven’t written about the Gauguin dust-up. The biography I read made Gauguin very much into the villain of the story—a bit of a schemer. He was using Vincent to get to Theo. He exaggerated the whole ear story to make it more exciting.
It would be a great story about when friends break up, only I don’t get the sense that they were much friends beforehand.
As one who feels great ambivalence/animosity for Mother’s Day (and a mother of two), I cannot express the degree to which I appreciate your honesty about this day and its built-in guilt and forced kindness. And…I’m learning about Van Gogh. A win-win!
Yes to all of this, especially, "Family is both the source of your superpower and your own personal kryptonite." I love what you've been writing about Van Gogh.
Van Gogh is an obsession worth having. I have to say it's Father's Day that would have been a blazing circle of hell for him.
You are absolutely right! But it’s Mother’s Day…I’ll have to save the father post for June. Also, he never painted a portrait of his father. Just his father’s Bible, which is pretty interesting.
Fair enough! He really did obsess over that "common look," and the sower, so maybe his mother is a sower of sorts. (Reaching here.)
Yeah, he just kept trying to paint that sower image over and over, didn’t he? And none of them are really outstanding images to me, but he didn’t give up on it.
This is so powerful, Robyn, and beautifully constructed. It spoke right to me. Vincent is a wonder, trying so hard to please his family and, as you point out, trying to make one of his own, and yet never compromising his way of seeing.
Thanks, Elizabeth! I really felt for him as I was reading the biography. I mean, we all have family issues of one sort or another, but he clearly felt like the black sheep from such an early age.
I really enjoy your writing, I've enjoyed all of these Van Gogh pieces and would be glad to see more.
Thanks, Helena. This comment made my day!
and then there's that...
I enjoyed this and will look at your other Vincent posts. If you’ve written about the Gauguin bust up, I’d find that irresistible.
Thanks so much, Rona! I haven’t written about the Gauguin dust-up. The biography I read made Gauguin very much into the villain of the story—a bit of a schemer. He was using Vincent to get to Theo. He exaggerated the whole ear story to make it more exciting.
It would be a great story about when friends break up, only I don’t get the sense that they were much friends beforehand.
As one who feels great ambivalence/animosity for Mother’s Day (and a mother of two), I cannot express the degree to which I appreciate your honesty about this day and its built-in guilt and forced kindness. And…I’m learning about Van Gogh. A win-win!
Thanks, Kate. We are definitely not alone in having bleh feelings about Mother’s Day. Glad it’s over. Moving on.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Yes to all of this, especially, "Family is both the source of your superpower and your own personal kryptonite." I love what you've been writing about Van Gogh.
Thanks, Barb! I’m definitely having fun writing about Van Gogh and have a lot more left to say!
Looking forward to it. I'm a fan, too.
I had no idea Van Gogh had such a rough life.
He was a pretty miserable guy.