Painter on His Way to Work

When observing the late master works of Van Gogh e.g. The Starry Night and Wheat Field with Crows, they can be dramatic and slightly threatening in their use of colors. His earliest work, on the other hand, is based mainly on earthen hues and dark colors. There is nothing bright or particular expressive in this. As such, when looking at these paintings from his early and very late career, it can sometimes be hard to understand exactly why he was considered just a master of colors.

However, it takes only a short look at some of his mid-career work to see why this is the case. A great example is “Painter on His Way to Work” which was painted by Van Gogh in July 1888. It depicts a painter carrying his gear towards his chosen subject of the day. He is walking on a cobble road and lush green and yellow fields can be seen behind him. The sun is shining from an almost clear sky and reflects off the cobble stones on his path. It is a beautiful day in the countryside outside of Arles.

Van Gogh’s use of bright and happy colors is extremely clear in this painting. The fields are green and yellow, the sky almost green and the sun reflects off the cobbles, making them golden in the process. The colors are applied vividly and without reserve. This is not color realism in the spirit of Vermeer. Rather, we see the colors used to further emphasize the idyllic nature of the situation, which was a feeling deeply felt by Van Gogh as he was setting out to establish his artistic community in the French countryside. Things are good, Van Gogh is happy and so is this painter on his way to work in this idyllic setting.

While he walks and smiles, this “Painter on His Way to Work” could also reflect on the prudent use of colors and how this would inspire artists for generations to come. Indeed the work of a bold master of colors.