This deceptively peaceful summer scene actually bristles with energy! Van Gogh painted this in Arles, in the south of France where he tried to escape modern life and re-discover a simpler, brighter world.
We’ll find out how the actions of an American admiral in a country on the other side of the globe led to one of the biggest artistic influences that Europe–and Vincent–had ever experienced.
Here’s an example of the woodblock prints I mention that had such a powerful impact on Western art.
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SHOW NOTES (TRANSCRIPT)
“A Long Look” theme is “Ascension” by Ron Gelinas youtu.be/jGEdNSNkZoo
Episode theme is “Sonatine – II. Mouvement de Menuet” composed by Maurice Ravel. Performed by Markus Staab. Courtesy of musopen.org.
https://musopen.org/music/4724-sonatine/
Farmhouse in Provence information
https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.52178.html
https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.52178.html#relatedpages
Japanese influence on Western art
Japonisme : Japanese Reflections in Western Art. Sunderland, England: Northern Centre for Contemporary Art, 1986. Print.
Put, Max., Sichel, Philippe., and Koechlin, Raymond. Plunder and Pleasure : Japanese Art in the West, 1860-1930 . Leiden: Hotei Pub., 2000. Print.
Vincent van Gogh and Japan. Tokyo: TV Asahi, 1992. Print.
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/jpon/hd_jpon.htm
https://www.kumon-ukiyoe.jp/en/history.php
https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/stories/inspiration-from-japan#10
Quotes from van Gogh’s letter explaining color use
https://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/audio-video/audio/collection-highlights-english/farmhouse-in-provence-van-gogh.html
The Life of Animals in Japanese Art
https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2019/life-of-animals-in-japanese-art.html
Library of Congress Japanese Prints Collection
https://www.loc.gov/collections/japanese-fine-prints-pre-1915/about-this-collection/
Andō, Hiroshige, Artist. Tōto meguro yuhhigaoka / Hiroshige ga. Fuji Japan Mount Tokyo, 1858. [Tokyo: Tsuta-ya Kichizō] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2004666335/.
Slow Art Day http://www.slowartday.com