| Sunday, March 16, 2008 |
| Vincent "Fou-Roux" Van Gogh |
Fou-Roux, Van Gogh's nickname—means "carzy redhed," and that he was (although it seems a harsh label for someone so talented). Whether you believe he cut off his own ear or you think Gauguin actually did it, there's no dispute that he wasn't all right in the head, especially in his later years. But there's no disputing either, that he was (or rather his paintings were) one of the greatest things to ever come out of France.
Everyone's probably familiar with Starry Night, Café Terrace, and the Vase with Twelve Sunflowers. What follows are some of my favorites that don't always get as much attention as those others, but that I think are equally as intriguing. Click any image for the high-res version.
Flowering Plum Tree (after Hiroshige)
Autumn Landscape - makes me want to go camping.
Avenue of Poplars in Autumn - Makes me wonder what a poplar is.
Evening Landscape with Rising Moon - Thought that was the sun coming over the mountain...
Landscape with Couple Walking and a Crescent Moon - Love that moon.
Starry Night Over The Rhone - The other Starry Night
Vincent's Home in Arles (The Yellow House)
The Church at Auvers - I saw this one at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
Skull With Burning Cigarette - Not sure if this one has more the feeling of "I'll smoke to my grave" or "Smoking will put you in your grave."
Vase with Lilacs, Daisies and Anemones - A great alternative to the popular Vase with Twelve Sunflowers.
Wheat Field Under a Clouded Sky - You need to see it large.
Wheat Field with Crows - Although not his last, one of his final paintings before he died. Also see this one large.
Newspaper account of his cutting off of his ear. Some disagree over who actually cut it off, but it seems everyone agrees that he took it to a brothel down the street and gave it to his girlfriend. The clipping roughly translated in part:
Last Sunday, at eleven-thirty in the evening, the named Vincent Vangogh [sic], painter, originally from Holland, presented himself at "the maison de tolerance no. 1, asked for someone named Rachel, and gave to her...his ear, telling her to 'keep this object carefully'. And then he disappeared...
Newspaper clipping announcing Van Gogh's death. Roughly translated:
Sunday July 27th, Van Gogh, age 37, a Duchman, painting artist, living in Auvers, shot himself with a revolver in the field and only being injured, he returned to his room where he died two days later." |
posted by Brett Crockett @ 7:30 PM   |
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| Monday, March 10, 2008 |
| A Long Overdue Thank You |
In a few days, I'll come back to that whole favorite artist thing I started a couple of weeks back. Getting out the scanner is proving to be more of a pain than I'd anticipated. So in the meantime...
I remember...oh...twenty or so years ago when I lived in Pleasant Grove the first time, my parents talking about how the city was home the worst roads in the country. Mom, Dad- they haven't changed much over the past two decades.
Morning after morning, Whittney and I pass the same sight on our way to work. This week, I wrote a letter to the city as follows:
Dear City of Pleasant Grove,
I'm writing to thank you for the commendable addition to our city's enlightenment and aestheticism at the intersection of State and 2000 West.
At first, I ignorantly assumed the orange barrels, cement barriers, and motionless tractor in the middle of the left-turn lane were simply the usual road construction gimmicks we see so often throughout our Great State.
Then, after 5 punishing weeks of inactivity at the site, I realized it wasn't actual construction—but rather a fitting addition to, and reflection of, our storied Utah County culture.
A standing tribute, a timeless monument, testament to the ever stationary nature of our progress—and tireless, yet unaltered state of the endless road construction we offer to friend, foe, and all who this way pass.
And so, in light of this important realization, I apologize for my belated action and offer my sincerest thanks for this beautiful work of art that promises a glimpse into our dusty past, present, and future for the untold generations that will follow.
Please use the enclosed $5 in your efforts to preserve this important token of who we are as a people and as a community.
Yours Truly,
Brett
Special thanks to WhittneyLynn, Editor. |
| posted by Brett Crockett @ 9:46 PM |
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