The Night Cafe' (1888)
Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)
Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut
Van Gogh is the poster child for "tortured artist". One oasis for his stormy soul was his brother, Theo. I'm not sure if Theo believed in his brother's talent, or if he just loved him. Whatever the reason, Theo was always there with encouragement and support.
"September
8, 1888:
My Dear Theo.
Thank you for your kind letter and the 300
francs. Because I am bowed under this difficulty of paying my
landlords, I made up my mind to take it gaily. I swore at the landlord,
who isn't a bad fellow, and told him I would paint his rotten
shanty to repay myself. Getting back to the money, I do not dwell on
that, for the picture is one of the ugliest I have done. I have
tried to express the terrible passions of humanity by means of red and
green. The room is blood red and yellow with a green billard table
in the middle; there are four lemon yellow lamps with a glow of orange
and green. Everywhere is a clash and contrast of alien reds and
greens, in the figures of the sleeping hooligans, in the empty dreary
room in violet and blue. The white clothes of
the landlord turn
pale luminous green. It is color not true to the realist, but color to
suggest emotion of an ardent temperment...
Many thanks then, and a good handshake till tomorrow.
Yours, Vincent."
AR's adorably crumpled artist, Ed, from the film January Man, fits well in that clash of color.
Click to see the real The Night Cafe'
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to go directly to that FAMOUS ARt.
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(I always give permission, but it's still nice to ask first)