Film 10: Van Gogh / Schama

In Simon Schama's film on Van Gogh, he did not use a couple of the techniques from his previous films. For instance, there are no reenactments in this film, nor did he use history to the same degree he did in his film on David. However, there were similarities. His use of the artist's personal history to add interest to particular paintings remains consistent throughout each of the films.
Personally, Van Gogh is my favorite artist that Schama has covered. I have been interested in Van Gogh since a young age, I remember my parents taking me to the Van Gogh exhibit at the Art Institute when I was younger. I find Van Gogh to be inspiring because despite his personal battles, he was still able to do what he loved to do, paint and create works of art.

My favorite painting by Van Gogh is The Starry Night,  which is an oil painting on canvas created in 1889. The first thing that I am drawn to is the swirls in the sky. I feel that it gives the painting a whimsical look. The second thing that I love about this painting are Van Gogh's color choices. The depths of the blues and the brightness of the yellows, in my opinion, create a very complimentary environment.

I don't feel that Van Gogh painting everyday made him greater or lesser than any other famous artist. This method worked for Van Gogh, however, for many artists this approach would not work. Personally, I don't think I could handle the pressure of creating something every day. Unless it just happened to be that way. But if I made it a goal to start and finish 1 painting everyday, i would crack under the pressure and stress.

Discussion Question:
Do you feel that Van Gogh's mental illnesses made him a greater painter, or do you feel that this was his greatest weakness.