museworthy

This blog has been in existence far too long without artwork by the brilliant Dutch artist Van Gogh. I atone for my negligence with this post. My apologies Vincent.

I know it’s probably terribly unoriginal and cliched for me to say that “Starry Night” is one of my all time favorite paintings. Yes, the “Starry Night” that’s been degraded into lampshades and bookmarks and cheap stained glass panels and nightlights (OK, I confess. I have the nightlight. My mother gave it to me and I adore it. So there!). My point is that “Starry Night” ROCKS. A gorgeous, imaginative, stunningly passionate work of art. I can SEE that night sky. Through Van Gogh’s intense, sensitive vision, I can truly see it.

But this is Museworthy, and even though Van Gogh is most well-known for his landscapes, cafe scenes, and self-portraits, we will acknowledge his proficiency at figure drawing, and the important role of muses in his personal and artistic life. He had relationships with prostitutes. One in particular, named Sien, lived with him in a fairly domesticated arrangement, along with her illegitimate child, not fathered by Van Gogh.

In a letter to a friend, Van Gogh wrote:

“In spite of everything, I shall rise again: I will take up my pencil, which I have forsaken in my great discouragement, and I will go on with my drawing.”

That was written in 1880. The following drawings were done in 1886. Looks like Van Gogh was a man of his word. He drew again just as he said – with certainty and dedication – that he would. And did he ever! Check out these incredible images of Van Gogh’s figure drawings: