The
Potato Eaters,
was the culmination of many studies that Vincent Van Gogh had done previously
on the subject of peasants and peasant life. Painted in earth tones, the
painting was the only group portrait ever done by Vincent in his career. The
work was meant to be a showpiece to display how he had grown as an artist. The
de Groots were chosen to be models for the piece as they were a farm family
that tilled the earth to eek out their meager existence from hard work. Vincent
intentionally used the dark earthen colors that would be found in the fields
for his depiction of this family of farmers. Their strong bony hands and extreme
muscle tone showed through the worn-out peasant garb. The determination on
their faces mirrored the difficulties in their lives. The use of light in this
painting was of particular interest as the burning candle was the only light
source in the otherwise pitch black cottage, and illuminated the Eaters from
this central point.
Although born to means, Vincent had always been
fascinated with the lives of the less fortunate, and it was a major theme of
his paintings throughout his career. Vincent’s younger brother Theo was a
successful art dealer. It was Theo who sustained Vincent in his career as an
artist. They communicated through many letters.
Soon after this work was completed Vincent painted Peasant Woman Cooking by a Fireplace.
The woman in this work has the same face as the second character from the left in The Potato Eaters. It can be seen in Gallery 825 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City. This painting by Vincent Van Gogh shows the potential for art all around us in the mundane experiences of everyday life, if we are receptive to its presence, and can be captured in paint, words or other mediums.
Jim
May 2021
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