I love how the light dominates the center...
He has done a great job of painting what was basically a dark room and only one source of light. I wonder what his relationship was with the people. The two on the right and left have simian features.
i had a huge thick book about him and his battles with mental problems, and it contained all the letters he wrote various individuals, especially to his brother- i read it cover to cover- He was quite a character-
His early drawing skills, and composition skills, and skills with color weren’t very good, but his drawings and paintings still held a lot of feeling and emotion-
He started as a preacher to local school and coal mining community- but his appointment wasn’t renewed because he couldn’t establish much interest from the miners to attend the local church- in the coal mines, where he preached, he was known as “The Christ of the Coal Mine”- After he wasn’t renewed by the church- he began painting- and became one of art history’s greatest innovative painters-
At first glance, the paintings look sloppy- uneducated, but spend much time with the paintings, and it is very clear that in his later years, he was mastering the use of color theory- creating some truly great pieces
We are very fortunate that he was a prolific painter, and obsessed with capturing and creating beauty- The world is much better off having had him enter the art world with such gusto