CAE Reading Part 6 Template

A) There are pieces of artwork around the world that have become synonymous with the artist’s name and techniques. The paintings of sunflowers and Vincent van Gogh are a perfect example of this.Not only can one make a mental connection between the artist’s name and paintings but also between the artist and his tremendous contribution to the development of art. His sunflower paintings have been duplicated many times by various artists (although never reaching the emotional intensity of van Gogh’s) and are displayed everywhere; from households to art expos. The colours in these paintings express emotions typically associated with the natural cycle of sunflowers: bright yellows of the full bloom to arid browns of wilting and death. Perhaps this very technique is what draws one into the painting; the fulfilment of seeing all angles of the spectrum of the of the cycle and in turn reaching a deeper understanding of the transience of all living things.

B) On February 19, 1888, van Gogh’s leaves for Provence in the south of France. He rents a studio in Arles, and invites his artist friend Gauguin to join him. In anticipation of his arrival, van Gogh paints still lifes of sunflowers to decorate Gauguin’s room. The flowers represent the sun, the dominant feature of the Provencal summer and doubtless the happiness he was feeling at the time. Inspired by the bright colours and strong light of Provence, he executes painting after painting and in so doing leaves a series of paintings which in later years are seen as a turning point by many an art expert. ‘I am getting an eye for this kind of country’ he writes to his brother Theo. Whereas in Paris, his works covered a broad range of subjects and techniques, the Arles paintings are consistent in approach, fusing a master’s technique with intensely saturated colour.

C) Although van Gogh’s sunflower paintings are similar in many aspects, each stands out as unique and the series is considered a milestone in the history of art. The majority of his sunflowers were created in Arles, France during 1888-1889. Van Gogh did create come sunflower paintings prior to this time in Paris. This earlier series consists of sunflower clippings or sunflowers in vases. The sunflower paintings as a whole represent the lifecycle: a seed grows, blooms and finally dies. The overall layout of the paintings usually remains the same. However, differences can be noted. In one, the centre ‘eye’ of the main flower is filled with a greenish yellow, while in the second the centre is filled with black. Similar differences are also apparent in the leafy structure; being either yellow or more of a light brown. It is these subtleties that never come across in the numerous reproductions seen on kitchen walls.

D) This series of sunflower paintings by van Gogh was made possible by the innovations in manufactured pigments in the 19th century. Without the vibrancy of the new colours, such as chrome yellow, van Gogh may never have achieved the high reputation he enjoys now today and many would not have been tricked into believing these paintings are truly significant with regard to the advancement of modern art. However, his paintings of sunflowers captivate many of his admirers and leave them astounded in their simplistic beauty. The flowing wilted stems and the burst of lovely yellow draws ones attention around the painting, without disrupting the balance of the piece. When the whole series of his sunflowers is viewed together, along with earlier paintings of dried sunflower heads the imagery becomes obvious; the flowers are a kind of shorthand for our time on earth. Each painting on its own reflects one particular moment in van Gogh’s difficult life

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