Partially due to having been inspired by painter Adolphe Monticelli, Van Gogh sought the Provence region of France to further expand his painting skill and experience.

Here Van Gogh found a "brilliance and light that would wash out details and simplify forms, reducing the world around him to the sort of pattern he admired in Japanese woodblocks" and where the "effect of the sun would strengthen the outlines of composition and reduce nuances of color to a few vivid contrasts.

"[3] A prolific time, in less than 444 days Vincent made about 100 drawings and produced more than 200 paintings Yet, he still wrote more than 200 letters.

Two complementary colors of the same degree of vividness and brightness placed next to one another produce an intense reaction, called the "law of simultaneous contrast.

"[5] Van Gogh mentioned the liveliness and interplay of "a wedding of two complementary colors, their mingling and opposition, the mysterious vibrations of two kindred souls.

de la Faille in The Works of Vincent van Gogh, His Paintings and Drawings—a portion of which was apparently in error (i.e., Bernheim-Jeune, Reid and Lefevre, Ackermann, Molyneux.