Art S3 Exam

Line

Van Gogh has used dark bold outlines on the chair. The inspiration for this was Japanese CLOISONNE. It inspired CLOISONNISM, a Post Impressionist technique which used dark outlines to separate colours.

Van Gogh has carefully painted dark, curved lines at the front of the rush seat. These stylised lines effectively imply the rush woven texture of the chair.

Shape/form

In the background, a blue door has a tall, rectangular shaped hinge. This echoes the vertical shaped chair legs, providing a visual link and linking these objects.

The shapes of the wooden chair are bold, and eye-catching, due to the simplified/stylised style and contrasting darker outlines. 

Social and Cultural

Van Gogh was influenced by his location in Arles. The sunshine and colours of the south of france influenced his bright colour palette. Arles also influenced the subject matter in his use of a rustic chair which was part of the furniture of his house there.

Van gogh was influenced by Japanese prints in his use of the technique of cloisonne and heavy outlines around the objects - eg the chair legs - which made them stand out.

Scale

This painting was created on a size 30 canvas; a size Van Gogh often used. This makes a significantly large painting which provides a bold visual impact for the viewer.

The scale of the door hinge of the blue door on the right looks relatively large in relation to the chair. This either means the door is large, or perhaps the chair’s scale has been increased to emphasise its importance.

Pattern

The square/ rectangular shaped repeating floor tiles form a pattern which creates a sense of rhythm throughout the painting.

The chair’s wooden frame is made up of similar types of horizontal shapes; these create an irregular pattern, leading the viewer’s eye around the chair.

Colour

The orange colours in the floor are complementary colours to the blue of the background wall, so both colours make each stand out and give the image vibrancy.

The colours used are saturated and exaggerated which gives the painting a very bold and immediate impact. These saturated colours also make it less true to life and emphasise the warm Mediterranean environment it was painted in. 

Tone

Van Gogh uses brushstrokes of brighter yellow tones on the left of the chair back, which suggests the light source -  daylight, is coming from the left.

The lack of shadows from the chair create a more stylised version of tone, than a fully accurate and realistic representation.

Composition

The composition is a snapshot as elements of the room are cut off on all sides and closely cropped to the chair. This gives a sense that there is more to the room a making it appear more life like and natural and bringing attention fully to the chair .

The focal point of the composition is the highlighted chair back; flooded in light and THE brightest object. This leads your eye to the seat of the chair with his pipe and the area of interest.

Media handling and techniques

The artist used IMPASTO throughout the painting, which emphasises form and texture of objects i.e. the rough floor tiles and the texture of the woven seat.

The artist has outlined the edges of the chair in a darker colour. This Post Impressionist painting technique is called CLOISONNISM, where dark heavy outlines around colours flatten the chair’s form and make it look stylised. 

Texture

The thick impasto paint, roughly applied on the tile floor, effectively suggests the rough tiles and communicates the rustic style of the house.

Van Gogh has carefully painted dark, curved lines at the front of the rush seat. These stylised lines effectively imply the rush woven and rough texture of the chair.

Style

The painting clearly shows the Post Impressionist ‘Cloisonnism’ style of outlining shapes with darker colours. This was inspired by ‘Cloisonne’ (Japanese enamelling technique where sections are separated with wire) and made forms look bolder, and stylised.

Van Gogh has portrayed the tiled floor rising up towards the viewer, which shows a distorted perspective. This is a common technique of Post Impressionist artists, who began showing multiple viewpoints in their work.

Subject matter

The painting’s subject matter is a rustic chair with a brown pipe and tobacco; this relates to Van Gogh’s view of himself as a humble man with simple tastes .

Van Gogh’s father had died a few years previously, and the empty chair is considered a sad representation of his father’s absence, representing his loss. The pipe is also a symbol of the fragility of life in Dutch art. 

Mood and atmosphere

The use of mainly warm golden and orange colours gives the impression of heat and sunshine, of its setting in southern France.

There is an element of sadness to this artwork, a lonely mood and atmosphere, as Van Gogh has chosen to paint a solitary chair, with no sitter. This relates to his recent loss of his father, and current argument with his best friend.

Viewpoint/ Perspective

The bird’s eye perspective of the angled chair means the chair dominates the composition. It takes up almost full space from top to bottom of the painting.

This chair was painted at the same time as Gauguin's armchair, and intended to be hung together but from different perspectives, one chair pointing to the left, one chair pointing to the right. This influenced Van Gogh’s choice of perspective for this work.

Visual impact

The colours used are saturated and intense tones, such as bright golden yellows, which contrast with blue wall, giving a very bold and immediate impact.

The use of ‘Cloisonnism,’ the Post Impressionist technique which outlined forms in darker lines (from Japanese cloisonne), ensures forms are bolder, adding to the overall visual impact.