Undergrowth with Two Figures

If you were to ask several people to name some painters, I guarantee Vincent Van Gogh would be one. Most people know him as a troubled man. Who doesn’t know the story of the artist who cut off his own ear? Although, there is some speculation that he man not have been the one to cut off his ear, but a friend of his (also an artist) may have cut it off in a fight. And Van Gogh simply said he did it himself to cover for his friend. Regardless of what actually happened, clearly Van Gogh was a conflicted man. A man who originally wanted to enter the ministry, but later rejected the faith and became a ardent opponent.

Van Gogh was a man of passion. He knew what he wanted to do. He knew what he loved. Painting. And, although he never made a great living doing it, he pursued that passion. Was he better off for that pursuit? I don’t know. It would be easy enough to say, absolutely… But, I can’t say such things... I know we are better off because he pursued such passions.

There is one particular painting of his that subtly illustrates the conflict within him. Undergrowth with Two Figures. One of my favorite Van Gogh works. Dominating the painting are trees. There’s a forest, probably a grove. The trees seem too unnaturally rowed to be organic. On the forest floor, the overgrowth strokes are bright and lively, slathered on chaotically, yet free. The horizon is dark. The trees, cold daggers piercing into bliss. There is more light than darkness, but the shadows still dominate, creating an eerie angst.

A faceless couple stands in the middle. They carry themselves proper. I wonder if they are in wedding attire or just formally dressed. The woman leans her head toward the man. Her posture says, ‘I want to be close to him.’ Her hues seem to switch from gloomy to bright, depending on how I look at them. She nearly blends into the vibrant strokes. I can’t tell if she is happy, or surrendered. The man is dark, even his face. He matches the looming darkness beyond. He leans away from the woman who desperately seeks intimacy. His posture is filled with sorrow and conflict.

All-in-all there are a gob of subtle emotions all splashed onto the painting. The human emotional complexity is nearly a visual representation of Mozart’s music. In Undergrowth with Two Figures murky and brilliant strokes swirl together. Both hues pursued their objectives, unhindered, but, with a sudden tantrum, paint coated brushes slammed into the canvas. The opposing shades scurry for attention. All the while, the couple stands in the center nearly hidden amongst the chaos. In the midst of the joy and darkness.

It’s a brilliant work… You should check it out.