1885, Vincent van Gogh, The potato eaters -- Kroller-Muller Museum (Otterlo)
From the museum label: After making studies of landscapes, peasants and weavers, Van Gogh feels it is time for his first large painting, which must have the peasant life as its theme: The potato eaters. In a letter to his brother Theo, he describes it as 'the peasants around a dish of potatoes'. Van Gogh is unsure whether to paint the family at the table in daylight or by artificial light, but he eventually chooses the latter. He devotes much attention to the effect of the light source. The girl in the foreground is painted as a silhouette, the other figures are somewhat eerily lit.
The potato eaters has a somewhat sketchy character: Van Gogh does not develop it further, as he fears it might lose its liveliness. He considers the final painting (Van Gogh Museum) to be one of his best works. It is without doubt the masterpiece of his Dutch period.
Link to other van Gogh paintings
1885, Vincent van Gogh, The potato eaters -- Kroller-Muller Museum (Otterlo)
From the museum label: After making studies of landscapes, peasants and weavers, Van Gogh feels it is time for his first large painting, which must have the peasant life as its theme: The potato eaters. In a letter to his brother Theo, he describes it as 'the peasants around a dish of potatoes'. Van Gogh is unsure whether to paint the family at the table in daylight or by artificial light, but he eventually chooses the latter. He devotes much attention to the effect of the light source. The girl in the foreground is painted as a silhouette, the other figures are somewhat eerily lit.
The potato eaters has a somewhat sketchy character: Van Gogh does not develop it further, as he fears it might lose its liveliness. He considers the final painting (Van Gogh Museum) to be one of his best works. It is without doubt the masterpiece of his Dutch period.
Link to other van Gogh paintings