Thursday, January 19, 2017
Family Dynamics
Katherine Thornton
Rachel's insecurities at the beginning of her relationship with Vincent branch from her damaged relationship with her family. Both of Rachel's parents died and she went to live with her sister. Rachel developed a relationship with the boy and eventually had sex with him. Rachel's sister was ashamed and shunned her. Rachel's sister saw this as Rachel giving herself away to this boy. Rachel was then forced to become a prostitute because she needed a way to support herself. Her lack of a father figure made it difficult for her to trust men. Unfortunately, this is not a trend of this time period, it is something that still happens today. Her unhealthy relationship with family caused her relationship to slightly struggle in the beginning. Family dynamics were very traditional in Europe in the late 19th century. The Father was typically took on the role of the breadwinner. It was a father's role to earn money to support the family. The mother stayed at home and took care of the family and household chores. Daughters were trained starting at an early age to fulfill the role of a woman in a household. Since Rachel's parents died and she lived with her sister, she didn't have the upbringing that society considered normal. Rachel had to work in order to trust Vincent and be comfortable with him.
Extra Links
http://www.localhistories.org/vicwomen.html
https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255/la/family.html
"The Bedroom"
Modified : 1/19/17 By: Mohammad Ishtiaq
http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/28560The bedroom painting is one of 3 paintings done by Vincent during his time living in his yellow house. Here he painted what he imagined his house being used as a studio for painters to come and go and make famous pieces of art. This dream can be seen throughout the book called "Sunflowers". His use of bright colors let the painting pop out t the viewer and make the room seem like an ordinary room with a twist. There are paintings on the walls signifying a painter and some food on the table meaning someone lived there. The brush strokes are very heavy and looked like they were done one at a time side by side.
Being a Foreigner During This Time
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| Photo credit: Thomas Hawk via Foter.com / CC BY-NC |
Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat
Modified: 1/19/2017
During the late 19th century, based on how the red-haired man in a yellow straw hat was treated, foreigners were often isolated from the society. In the book, Vincent Van Gogh was known to be from the Netherlands, so many of the French people would look at him as a crazy outsider. This caused Van Gogh to be a lot kinder to those like Rachel, because Rachel was a prostitute, making her seem like an outsider.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
"Cafe Terrace at Night"
Cafe Terrace at Night (1888)
Oil on Canvas
Katherine Thornton
Sheramy Bundrick incorporated Vincent Van Gogh's "Cafe Terrace at Night"into the love story between Rachel and Vincent. This painting was done in mid September of 1888 in Arles, France. The painting depicts the lively but peaceful scene of the cafe's night life. The bright yellow of the cafe and the strong blue of the sky compliment each other making for a beautiful painting. Van Gogh uses darker colors when painting the buildings in the background to create depth in the walkway. In creating the pathway, which appear to be cobblestones, Van Gogh used a large palette of colors. This gave the painting lot of dimension. The transition of colors in the cobblestones draws the viewer's eye to follow the cobblestones. Bundrick incorporated this painting into the love story to show Rachel's attention to detail when it comes to Vincent's paintings. When she sees this painting she is presented with a few other paintings as well. She compares the different methods Vincent used in the paintings. Sine her relationship with Vincent has blossomed, Rachel seems to pay attention to smaller details and as a result she has a deeper understanding of Vincent's art. Vincent seems quite pleased that Rachel is more invested in his art and understanding it. Vincent's creative side is a strong part of who who is and it is essential that Rachel connects with this part of him. This painting is woven into the story to show that the two characters are beginning to blend into each other's worlds. It's beautiful.
Extra Links
http://www.vggallery.com/painting/p_0467.htm
http://think.iafor.org/why-vincents-cafe-terrace-at-night-is-a-symbolist-last-supper/
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/vincent-van-gogh-last-supper-cafe-terrace-at-night-275282
"Irises"
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| Irises (1890) Photo credit: Sharon Mollerus via Foter.com / CC BY |
The painting Irises shows a bouquet of spring flowers in a pitcher. Vincent Van Gogh painted this piece before checking himself out of the asylum. On the first page of Chapter 29, page 263, it states, "I am working like one actually possessed... And I think that this will help cure me." This is a quote from one of the letters sent by Van Gogh to his brother, Theo. This shows the reason why Irises was painted along with other paintings. To Van Gogh, painting was the source to his sanity, keeping him from going crazy. He believed that if he only focused on his work and paintings, that will cure him from his depression. The painting here portrays colors of the season of spring.
"The Brothel"
http://www.vincent-van-gogh-gallery.org/the-brothel.html
"The Brothel" depicts a prostitution house scene, particularly before clients pursue what they came for. They are shown at a table sharing alcoholic beverages and speaking to one another. This heavily relates to the book considering the conflict that took place between Vincent and Rachel. Vincent asked to paint her in a brothel scene, however she was not comfortable with that because she did not want to be known as a prostitute. Vincent insisted that he would not make her known, hence the significance of this painting. The symbolism of Rachel's embarrassment with her profession is very evident. This painting was created in 1888 and is an oil on canvas. There are many loose vertical brushstrokes on the wall and floor, and overall loose color on the dresses shows Impressionism at its finest. The painting's mismatched colors also shows technique and methods of Impressionism. Brothels were very common for the time period, and socially shunned by the upper class. This kind of discrimination is seen commonly throughout the book as Rachel is usually stared at and looked down upon in public.
"The Night Cafe in the Place Lamartine"
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| The Night Cafe in the Place Lamartine (1888) Oil on Canvas |
Vincent Van Gogh painted "The Night Cafe in the place Lamartine" in September of 1888 in Arles. The painting shows a still of the interior of Cafe de la Gare. Vincent is passionate about painting this cafe and sees the art of humanity within the wee hours of the cafe. To him, there is a form of beauty in this cafe that makes it exciting for him to attempt to capture in a painting. Rachel initially does not see this. To Rachel, this cafe is tacky and unpleasant. The painting shows a number of people in the cafe that are down and out on their luck who don't have a place to go for the night. In a way, it is also nostalgic for her since she used to be one of those people. The painting includes wooden tables and chairs scattered around the perimeter and a large pool table in the center. On almost every table, there are quite a few bottles of alcohol. To depict the cafe, Vincent uses bright greens, reds, and golds. Rachel points out that this is not an accurate depiction of the cafe. Vincent goes on to explain why he depicted the cafe the way he did. He used these wildly contrasting colors to depict what he saw in this cafe. He uses soft brushstrokes to counteract the strong contrasting colors. It creates a hazed feeling in the cafe. This painting is important for the way it allows Vincent to open up about his artistic process. Rachel can see things through his eyes and in a way that makes them closer. This painting teaches Rachel about this side of Vincent that she has yet to know
Extra Links
http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/night-cafe.html
http://www.vangogh.net/the-night-cafe.jsp
http://www.webexhibits.org/vangogh/letter/18/533.htm
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
"Les Alyscamps"
Modified:1/12/2017 By: Nicole Gelfman
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/artwork/vincent-van-gogh-paintings-from-the-yellow-house10.htm
This is a real work as it depicts the Elysian Fields, an ancient cemetery in Arles that Van Gogh loved to paint. It is related to the story considering that Gauguin had arrived to live with Vincent in an artistic home, in which Vincent took Gauguin to this cemetery so they could paint together for the first time. This was important because Van Gogh was trying to make a good first impression, making it a strategic point in the novel. According to Entertainment, this painting was created in 1888, was an oil painting, and in the landscape genre. The style and technique portrays elements of Impressionism considering the brushstrokes are quick, light, and effortless making them thick and broad. The "looseness" of this work is common throughout the Impressionistic movements. Van Gogh and Gauguin visited the ancient Roman necropolis which was built by the Romans outside city walls. Eventually, the grounds were overtaken by factories and the railroad. This lane was known throughout France as 'lovers lane,' making it significant between Rachel and Van Gogh. The couples portrayed in the painting were usually taking a romantic stroll in the evenings.
Photo credit: Benjamin Haas via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/artwork/vincent-van-gogh-paintings-from-the-yellow-house10.htm
This is a real work as it depicts the Elysian Fields, an ancient cemetery in Arles that Van Gogh loved to paint. It is related to the story considering that Gauguin had arrived to live with Vincent in an artistic home, in which Vincent took Gauguin to this cemetery so they could paint together for the first time. This was important because Van Gogh was trying to make a good first impression, making it a strategic point in the novel. According to Entertainment, this painting was created in 1888, was an oil painting, and in the landscape genre. The style and technique portrays elements of Impressionism considering the brushstrokes are quick, light, and effortless making them thick and broad. The "looseness" of this work is common throughout the Impressionistic movements. Van Gogh and Gauguin visited the ancient Roman necropolis which was built by the Romans outside city walls. Eventually, the grounds were overtaken by factories and the railroad. This lane was known throughout France as 'lovers lane,' making it significant between Rachel and Van Gogh. The couples portrayed in the painting were usually taking a romantic stroll in the evenings.
Photo credit: Benjamin Haas via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
Monday, January 16, 2017
"Courtyard of the Hospital at Arles"
Modified : 1/17/17 By: Mohammad Ishtiaq
http://www.vangoghroute.com/france/arles/hospital/
On December 23rd, 1888 Vincent Van Gogh was admitted into the hospital at Arles because he had cut off his ear lobe and handed it to his lover. There he spent a lot of time isolated from everyone and everything he loved. The doctor would not let him paint or see anyone because he had been having many mental brake downs and would lash out against people. As he got better with the visit from his beloved lover Rachel he was seeing a new light. He was allowed to go and visit his home and make sure all his paintings were fine. He eventually ended up taking his sketch book with him to make more drawings to help him heal mentally because it was one of the most important things to Vincent. Since he could not go home and paint he sketched this area and painted it. The painting has so much details to it. The Lighting makes the hospital building pop out and the bushes int he front look great. There is a small person coming from one of the houses that attract the viewers eyes due to the bright color used for the robe. Everything looks like it was put in the right spot for it to be painted and at the right timing.
http://www.vangoghroute.com/france/arles/hospital/
On December 23rd, 1888 Vincent Van Gogh was admitted into the hospital at Arles because he had cut off his ear lobe and handed it to his lover. There he spent a lot of time isolated from everyone and everything he loved. The doctor would not let him paint or see anyone because he had been having many mental brake downs and would lash out against people. As he got better with the visit from his beloved lover Rachel he was seeing a new light. He was allowed to go and visit his home and make sure all his paintings were fine. He eventually ended up taking his sketch book with him to make more drawings to help him heal mentally because it was one of the most important things to Vincent. Since he could not go home and paint he sketched this area and painted it. The painting has so much details to it. The Lighting makes the hospital building pop out and the bushes int he front look great. There is a small person coming from one of the houses that attract the viewers eyes due to the bright color used for the robe. Everything looks like it was put in the right spot for it to be painted and at the right timing.
Thursday, January 12, 2017
"Self-Portrait Bandaged Ear"
Modified : 1/12/17 By: Mohammad Ishtiaq
http://courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/collection/impressionism-post-impressionism/vincent-van-gogh-self-portrait-with-bandaged-ear
In 1889, Vincent Van Gogh cut off his ear lobe and handed it to his love Rachel, making this a real painting. This painting illustrates Vincent after his surgery using oil on a canvas. This is a very significant painting relating to the book "Sunflowers" because Vincent was going through so much distress and he acted on his own intuition and cut his ear lobe off. At the time Vincent was very stressed about Gauguin leaving his studio, his brother getting engaged and Rachel having to be there for his fight with Gauguin. This portrait shows Vincent after his surgery and depicts many key aspects in the background like the blank canvas and Japaneses print. Vincent had a lot of interest in Japanese art and the blank canvas could signify that there was still many more painting to come and his work had not been finished. Vincent used a lot of long brush strokes to making this painting but as you can see on his face and hat the stokes start to curve more. Also the amount of color switching in Vincent's face could also tell the viewer that there was a lot of things on his mind as he painted this self-portrait.
http://courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/collection/impressionism-post-impressionism/vincent-van-gogh-self-portrait-with-bandaged-ear
In 1889, Vincent Van Gogh cut off his ear lobe and handed it to his love Rachel, making this a real painting. This painting illustrates Vincent after his surgery using oil on a canvas. This is a very significant painting relating to the book "Sunflowers" because Vincent was going through so much distress and he acted on his own intuition and cut his ear lobe off. At the time Vincent was very stressed about Gauguin leaving his studio, his brother getting engaged and Rachel having to be there for his fight with Gauguin. This portrait shows Vincent after his surgery and depicts many key aspects in the background like the blank canvas and Japaneses print. Vincent had a lot of interest in Japanese art and the blank canvas could signify that there was still many more painting to come and his work had not been finished. Vincent used a lot of long brush strokes to making this painting but as you can see on his face and hat the stokes start to curve more. Also the amount of color switching in Vincent's face could also tell the viewer that there was a lot of things on his mind as he painted this self-portrait.
"Starry Night over the Rhône"
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| Starry Night over the Rhône (1888) |
by Ainon Hia Kazol
In chapter six, Rachel finds Vincent getting ready with all his art supplies; his work clothes, his canvas, an artist's box, and an easel strapped to his back. He tells Rachel, "It's time to try a night picture by the river." This picture ends up becoming the Starry Night Over The Rhône. According to an analysis made for this painting, it is a part of a series of starry night paintings in which Van Gogh celebrates the night sky by painting them. The three other paintings included in this series are the Starry Night, Cafe Terrance, and the Portrait of Eugene Boch. Vincent was satisfied with the outcome of this particular painting and his feelings about it are shown through many letters sent to his brother, Theo. This painting is an example of Impressionism art because Van Gogh actually painted this while looking at. Another reason why it's an Impressionist painting is because it shows how life at night was like, with all the lights shining on the water from the houses and the stars lighting up the sky.
Madame Roulin with Baby
Madame Roulin with Baby (1888)
Oil on Canvas
Modified: 1/12/17 Jenna Palme
Vincent Van Gogh befriended the Roulin family during his stay in Arles. He pained multiple portraits of each member of the family, but no one was painted as much as Madame Roulin and her baby, Marcelle. In the novel, it's mentioned how caring Van Gogh is towards baby Marcelle and what a good father he would be if he settled down to have children. The positioning of the baby makes it seem as if Marcelle herself is posing for Van Gogh. The thick, visible brush strokes take give the painting an impressionist look. The use of contrasting colors, like the yellow and green, is a signature of Van Gogh as that technique can be seen in many of his works. The focus is on Marcelle and Madame Roulin is just a part of the background, essentially blending in with her surroundings. Marcelle in white is the first thing the viewer sees when they spot this painting. This work is mentioned in the novel as Rachel sees Van Gogh's paintings of the mother with her daughter and is reminded of her traumatic experience with a past pregnancy. This work is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art along with some of his other pieces.
Extra Link:
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
"The Yellow House"
Modified: 01/11/2017 By: Nicole Gelfman
https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection/s0032V1962
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_architecture#Differences_Between_Homes_in_the_18th_Century_and_19th_Century
In the spring of 1888, Vincent Van Gogh rented four rooms in Arles, southern France, making this a real painting of his home. This work is included in the story considering the progressive history that occurred. This is where Rachel and Gauguin spent a portion of their lives, Gauguin actually living with Vincent, and Rachel spending nights and caring for him. Rachel, in particular is intrigued by this house, making it a subject of her curiosity. Van Gogh purchases this home because of the vast living space and spacious studio. His intentions where to turn it into an artists corner, where international painters could come live and advance their careers. This painting is an oil on canvas, which explains the prominence of loose brush-strokes and vivid color, as mentioned by the Van Gogh Museum. This painting also displays common provincial architecture with tall second story windows, usually having distinctive designs. Additionally, it has a square and symmetrical shape, with windows on each entrance and corner. In short, there is a sense of height an dimension, as stated on the French architecture's encyclopedia.
Photo credit: BlikStjinder via Foter.com / CC BY-NC
https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection/s0032V1962
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_architecture#Differences_Between_Homes_in_the_18th_Century_and_19th_Century
In the spring of 1888, Vincent Van Gogh rented four rooms in Arles, southern France, making this a real painting of his home. This work is included in the story considering the progressive history that occurred. This is where Rachel and Gauguin spent a portion of their lives, Gauguin actually living with Vincent, and Rachel spending nights and caring for him. Rachel, in particular is intrigued by this house, making it a subject of her curiosity. Van Gogh purchases this home because of the vast living space and spacious studio. His intentions where to turn it into an artists corner, where international painters could come live and advance their careers. This painting is an oil on canvas, which explains the prominence of loose brush-strokes and vivid color, as mentioned by the Van Gogh Museum. This painting also displays common provincial architecture with tall second story windows, usually having distinctive designs. Additionally, it has a square and symmetrical shape, with windows on each entrance and corner. In short, there is a sense of height an dimension, as stated on the French architecture's encyclopedia.
Photo credit: BlikStjinder via Foter.com / CC BY-NC
Portrait of Dr. Félix Rey
Portrait of Dr. Félix Rey (1889)
Oil on Canvas
Modified 1/11/17 Jenna Palme
Vincent Van Gogh's portrait of his doctor from Arles exists and is now housed in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow. He painted this in January of 1889 as a gift for the doctor, but Dr. Rey wasn't a fan of the work as he thought it wasn't a realistic representation of himself and gave it to his mother. Rey's mother thought the work was hideous and used it to repair her chicken coop according to the National Center of Biotechnology Information. Van Gogh's style wasn't popular at the time, so people weren't appreciative of his works as they are now. In Sunflowers, Van Gogh paints Rey as a sort of thanks for being so kind and understanding to him during his time in the hospital after he cut off a piece of his ear. In the book, Rey has an obvious attraction towards Rachel, so he wasn't painted in the most flattering manner. The dark, clashing colors used don't give a complimentary look to the doctor. His eyes seem almost pitch black from afar, then take a closer look at the image, and see the soft brown that was truly used to give the doctor a caring and kind demeanor. The clear brushstrokes give off the impressionist style of lacking a polished look. Vincent clearly admired the doctor as he tended to paint people he cared for and admired.
Extra Links:
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Welcome to the blog!
Hello and welcome to Sunflowers Society! Our names are Nicole Gelfman, Mohammed Ishtiaq, Ainon Hia Kazol, Jenna Palme, and Katherine Thornton and we're a couple of high school students who are here to provide a study guide for the novel, Sunflowers by Sheramy Bundrick. This book is about the red-haired man in a yellow straw hat, Vincent Van Gogh who is famously known for his talented and abstract works of art. Many include the Starry Night, Sunflowers, The Red Vineyard, and more! We'll be talking about the paintings he worked on that are mentioned in this book and about the lifestyle portrayed back in his time.
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