| The Spirit of a Chair"I would so much like to | | | | colors.The wooden chair itself, positioned in the |
| imbue you with a large share of my faith that we | | | | center of the canvas, is turned outward to show |
| shall succeed in starting something that will | | | | off its rustic beauty and offset by a brick-red tile |
| endure."Van Gogh wrote those words to Gauguin | | | | floor and a sea-green wall. The only object in the |
| three weeks before they began living together in | | | | painting, other than his pipe and tobacco on the |
| the Yellow House in Arles. The two artists lived | | | | straw seat of the chair, is a box with the artist's |
| together in the "Studio of the South" for nine | | | | characteristic "Vincent" signature on it. The box is |
| weeks. In Vincent's two famous chair paintings, | | | | the same yellow wood as the chair, and contains |
| we see his impression of the spirit of each man, | | | | unidentifiable things that may or may not be |
| made manifest on canvas through the portrayal | | | | painting paraphernalia. The entire effect is simple |
| of inanimate furniture.He painted his own chair | | | | and warm, almost childlike.By contrast, Vincent's |
| facing right and Gauguin's chair facing left. | | | | painting of Gauguin's chair is quite formal. |
| Consequently, when the two paintings are | | | | Undeniably a van Gogh masterpiece, it still emits a |
| presented together, they produce a synergistic | | | | heavy feeling of rigor. The brown wooden |
| effect. Viewing them together, we can see clearly | | | | armchair, lovely in its curving structure, is thickly |
| what Vincent was getting at. When positioned | | | | outlined in black. The ornately patterned reddish |
| facing outward from each other, (as they usually | | | | rug under the chair displays an inexorable |
| are), they are portraits of two highly disparate | | | | perspective on its way to the stark green wall, |
| souls, never to find unity. When placed facing | | | | which occupies more than one-third of the canvas. |
| toward each other, their differences and | | | | The painting comes off as darkly |
| tumultuous problems fade and the underlying | | | | ponderous.Gauguin's chair, also in the center of the |
| spiritual bond emerges.Though both artists are | | | | canvas facing outward, does not seem as |
| now recognized as cutting edge masters, they | | | | important to the viewer as the wall lamp, the |
| discovered an enormous rift in their approach to | | | | burning candle and the books resting on its green |
| painting. Ensuing debates, sometimes turning ugly, | | | | cushion. It's impossible not to see these simple |
| left them frazzled and unhappy. It seems that the | | | | objects depicted with light colors, as symbols. |
| fire ignited by their proximity burned too hot for | | | | Knowledge and illumination are carefully presented |
| comfort. Eventually, rather than becoming violent | | | | here as part and parcel of his friend's spirit.Though |
| toward Gauguin, van Gogh cut off his own | | | | their relationship became so stormy it practically |
| earlobe and landed himself in the hospital.Van | | | | undid each of them, ironically, it was the catalyst |
| Gogh's painting of his own yellow chair in the | | | | of change for both their careers, in due course |
| Yellow House is full of light and lightheartedness. | | | | furthering the progress of modern art in the |
| Witnessing this, it would seem that the tension he | | | | western world. This, then, is van Gogh's enduring |
| and Gauguin experienced while trying to find a | | | | legacy, and his goal of creating "something that |
| way to live in harmony together affected Vincent | | | | will endure" was realized, though not in the way |
| not at all (though the world now knows better). | | | | he envisioned.Visit the Life of Van Gogh website |
| He pictures his chair in a carefree manner, | | | | for more information on Van Gogh paintings, or to |
| employing his usual methods of heavy texture, | | | | get out own Biography of Vincent Van Gogh. |
| outlining, and the juxtaposition of complementary | | | | |