Focus on The Painter of Sunflowers and explain the Composition.
The painting shows Van Gogh working in what he called “The Yellow House,” and it includes recognizable features of other notable works. For example, the blue walls in the painting are also visible in Van Gogh’s Bedroom in Arles, and the chair Van Gogh is seated in is likely the same as the one depicted in the painting Van Gogh’s Chair. Hanging on the wall behind Van Gogh we can see an enlarged portion of one of Gauguin's paintings. It was not uncommon for Gauguin to display his own paintings in the background of his works, and the one depicted here is most similar to his painting Blue Trees.Though Gauguin would have viewed Van Gogh painting many times, it is likely that this portrait scene was done mostly from memory. A key indicator of this is that the work was completed in the winter of 1888, but depicts a scene from the summer, suggesting that Gauguin developed the concept of the painting first, and then later added details observed from life.In the painting, Gauguin depicts Van Gogh as seen from above, sunken into his chair with his eyes slightly closed. Art historians have noted that Van Gogh's head appears distorted, with a sloping shape and flat features. From this composition, some have suggested that Gauguin was representing Van Gogh's deteriorating mental state, rather than his true likeness.
Bedroom in Arles The Yellow House Arles Van Gogh’s Chair Gauguin