Van Gogh Inspiration - Lemons

Van Gogh Inspiration - Lemons

by

Cheri Wollenberg

This simple little painting is one I painted  for the Inspiration All Around Us challenge blog.  Dana Marie challenged and inspired us with Van Gogh's "Still Life with Pitcher and Lemons".  The prints we see of this painting by Van Gogh are probably a little altered.  I've only been fortunate to see a few of his in real life.  I found other images of this painting online and in some of my art books.  Most of them were a little different in intensity and/or value.  I like the image Dana Marie gave us best.  It is more high key and the colors are more intense.  I like to believe that this is the way he painted. 

As mentioned above the later image is more intense and is high key in mood.  The patterns he used behind his still life set up are vertical in nature and stops the viewers' eye from leaving the composition ("very clever, Mr. Van Gogh").  It is painted in a warm palette, but intense enough to create an exciting visual mood.  Some movement is made with the brush strokes around the saucer...leading the eye up to the vertical patterns...also holding the viewers' eye to the composition ("kudos again, Mr. Van Gogh").  The glass container also repeats patterns that create stability.

Now...my painting on the other hand is not high in intensity, not nearly as exciting, but the dark contrast creates a little drama.  Great practice!  Painting the lemons inspired me to paint other still lifes with lemons. I especially enjoyed doing this painting.  Dana Marie you inspired us again!  Thanks.