Still life paintings by Vincent van Gogh (Netherlands)

Vincent's father, Reverend van Gogh wrote to his son Theo: "We do not think it’s really suitable, but we have had a proper stove installed...

[1] In November 1884, van Gogh taught some friends from Eindhoven, a large town near Nuenen, to paint inanimate objects in oil.

Van Gogh, in his enthusiasm, created a series of still life paintings of bottles, bowls and pots and other objects.

Van Gogh said in a letter to his brother Theo that he was not looking to receive payment in money, rather he'd prefer to be rewarded by providing him tubes of paint.

"[6] Van Gogh and his brother Theo exchanged letters about Vincent's propensity to use dark colors and the amount of black in his paintings.

In mid-October 1885, Vincent responded that the use of dark colors were more realistic and mature, "I am writing you rather a long letter – though perhaps you may not believe what I say about the colours, and though you may find me pessimistic when I say that much of what is called delicate grey is a very ugly grey; though you may find me pessimistic or worse when I also disapprove of the smooth polishing of faces, hands and eyes, because the great masters all worked in quite a different way, perhaps by and by your own study of art, which I am glad you took up again thoroughly, will change you too.

The painting is set against a dark background with the effect of making the inside of the bowl made in muted colors appear white.

[10] In a letter to his brother Theo, van Gogh wrote: "You will receive a big still life of potatoes, in which I tried to get corps, I mean, to express the material in such a way that they become heavy, solid lumps – which would hurt you if they were thrown at you, for instance.

By then Van Gogh had come into contact with the bright colors of the Impressionists during his time in Paris, and he seems to have found the dark background too somber.

"[11] Early September 1885, Van Gogh wrote: "I am now busy painting still lifes of my birds' nests, four of which are finished; I think some people who are good observers of nature might like them because of the colors of the moss, the dry leaves and the grasses."

The Bible symbolizes his father's faith, which Van Gogh felt was too conventional and made for a strict view of life.

The burned out candle could symbolize van Gogh's father's death or it could represent Vincent's disenchantment with traditional faith.