The Yellow House is about Van Gogh, Gauguin, and nine turbulent weeks in Provence, the south of France, in 1888, when they lived and painted in The Yellow House. Both artists had gone through a period of deep religious lifestyle. Both artists now decried the diminishing role of a Supernatural Being and the disintegration of Christianity in modern life. Science explained how the world worked and Invention provided the machinery for human use and a better lifestyle. Peasants left country land for the City where often they experienced poverty, illness, and homelessness. Van Gogh and Gauguin fled to the country to brew their artistic response.
Their pursuit was tied together by their relationship to art dealer Theo Van Gogh, the brother of 'just plain Vincent', who a lot of folks thought was mad. Gauguin's art dealer was Theo and he was just starting to sell a few things --Degas had just made a purchase -- so Gauguin received a monthly allowance. Both were poor but by sharing expenses in Arles they could live cheaply and in the brilliant light and color of the South of France. Both were influenced by the Oriental Prints being discovered in Europe, with their bright colors and flat shapes. Vincent and Gauguin would work together in Vincent's Art Colony until success came their way. That was the plan.
Read the book to find out what goes on but they were polar opposites in Facebook Profiles and couldn't exist that close to each other.
We learn it is thought Vincent suffered from bi-polar disorder. Living on a roller-coaster cycle of extreme highs, with prolific, productive, joyful moments. His chemistry would change he couldn't suppress the mood of low self-worth. Today, Lithium is available as medicine but not in 1888.
The author feels that some artists now would NOT take a treatment because they want to have the extreme exuberance of the higher highs, even at the horrific price of having lows that linger long.
This leads me to wonder WHY WE MAKE ART anyway. Vincent made art to 'console' people. Think Sunflowers. Gauguin made art to develop new symbols of what was valuable. Think Jacob wrestling the Angel. Charles Garabedian, up now at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, says we make art to discover who we are. If Vincent had available and had taken Lithium we wouldn't have the starry nights and the crows and cornfields though. Who we are seems to be always changing. We can figure out where on the Manic ------Depressive Cycle OUR campsite is TODAY, but Tomorrow is a Different Day. Who we are isn't who we are.
Therefore it is necessary we practice art -- Drawing is ideal--Each and Every Day.
Can I get an "amen?"
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