Farmhouse in Provence by Vincent van Gogh

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.

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/.