Vincent Van Gogh School Original Antique 19th Century Nature Morte Skull Bible Bijbel Post Impressionist Still Life Oil Painting 1886 Antwerp Period
Vincent Willem van Gogh, (1853-1890), original antique late 19th Century Nature Morte Still Life Skull in Profile with a Book, Dutch Post Impressionist oil painting on canvas; circa 1885/6, during the artist's period in Antwerp, Belgium. The painting's measurements are approximately 13.6” X 19.8”. There has been some professional restoration to correct a tear in the center of the image; (along the top of the skull). The length can be determined by the patch, verso; (as well as the last image that is included of the painting before restoration). There is very minimal overpaint that is isolated to this area; (as well as no more than 3 tiny chips of missing paint). Other than these isolated areas, there is no overpaint, and all other paint present is original to the painting. The painting is signed to the lower right, along the bottom, and "Vincent" under the book, respectively. Verso, remnants of the signature remain along the wooden stretcher bar,(and engraved somewhat into the bars), as well as a year of either 1885/1886. The painting has some degradation of the canvas, over the years, and may need to be relined at a future date. The book in the painting is likely a bible. There are interesting initials within the binding of the book. Upon examination, the first column has a large capital, "A." The Second column from the top, along the binding, has the large capital letter "B"; (the Dutch word for the Bible is "Bijbel"). The next few initials down the binding appear to be the initial "V". The painting was completed the same year as another still life with a skeleton smoking, as well as another painting that is a still life of a bible. (There are at least a few artworks with the theme of a skull or skeleton in this period and latter periods) This painting appears to be a culmination of both subjects in his other works, (A Skull and a Bible), as well as the theme of a still life representing natural death, (Nature Morte), completed by the artist, that year. The colors are very typical of the artist, having abandoned completely somber tones, he adopts carmine, emerald, and cobalt blue. His palette becomes richer in color in Antwerp, yet retains the monochrome elements of a post-impressionistic Jean Francois Millet.
It should be noted that the colors have changed somewhat during the photographic process. The top color is tomato red, which is close to the image color, and the bottom is closer to emerald green. The painting was acquired by private sale from a collector in the south of France and has had restorations and research proceed after the latest acquisition.
Vincent Willem van Gogh, a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter, is renowned as one of the most influential figures in Western art history. Despite struggling with depression and poverty throughout his life, Van Gogh created a vast body of work, including landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and self-portraits. His art is characterized by bold colors and expressive brushwork, which played a crucial role in shaping modern art.
In 1886, Van Gogh moved to Paris, where he encountered avant-garde artists like Émile Bernard and Paul Gauguin, who were challenging the conventions of Impressionism. Influenced by these interactions, Van Gogh developed a new approach to still life and local landscapes. His paintings grew increasingly vibrant during his stay in Arles, France, in 1888, and he began exploring subjects such as olive trees, wheat fields, and sunflowers.
His unique style influenced subsequent art movements, such as Fauvism and German Expressionism. Today, his paintings are highly valued, and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam houses the world's largest collection of his artworks.
Nuenen and Antwerp (1883–1886)
Van Gogh painted several groups of still-life oil paintings in 1885. During his two-year stay in Nuenen, he completed numerous drawings and watercolors and nearly 200 oil paintings. His palette consisted mainly of somber earth tones, particularly dark brown, and showed very little sign of the vivid colors that distinguished his later work. When Vincent complained to his brother Theo that he was not making enough effort to sell his paintings in Paris, his brother responded that they were too dark and not in keeping with the bright style of Impressionism. In August his work was publicly exhibited for the first time, in the shop windows of the dealer Leurs in The Hague. In Antwerp, he applied himself to the study of color theory and spent time in museums; particularly studying the work of Peter Paul Rubens, and broadened his palette to include carmine, cobalt blue, and emerald green. Van Gogh bought Japanese ukiyo woodcuts, later incorporating elements of their style into the background of some of his paintings.
This painting bears characteristic similarities to Vincent Van Gogh's work from his Antwerp period (1885-1886), particularly his still life paintings featuring skulls and books.
Subject Matter: Van Gogh painted several still lifes with skulls, such as "Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette" (1885-1886). The subject matter of a skull and a book aligns with his interest in themes of mortality and knowledge.
Palette: During his Antwerp period, Van Gogh's palette was relatively dark and muted, with a focus on earthy tones and strong contrasts. The painting you provided also uses a subdued, earthy palette, particularly the dark background and the ochre tones of the skull and book.
Brushwork and Style: The brushwork in the provided painting appears loose and expressive, which is characteristic of Van Gogh’s style. (Van Gogh's later works became more vibrant and expressive compared to his earlier, more somber works during the Antwerp period).
Composition: The composition of placing a skull alongside a book suggests a Vanitas theme, common in still life paintings to evoke the transience of life. Van Gogh explored such themes in his early still-life works.
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