Van Gogh “Two crabs”: A longer look

Fascinating workshop at the National Gallery led by Ben Street looking in detail at Van Gogh’s “Two crabs”.

Ben began by putting them into the context of still lives by other artists from the Dutch Golden Age to Courbet and Manet and then into context with other Van Gogh still lives such as Sunflowers and The Chair. We talked about the fact he painted this picture on his return from hospital after the ear incident when he was trying to get back into painting but couldn’t; take on big works or go out. There is a real sense in this work of someone needing to paint.

He then talked about the spiritual dimension to Van Gogh’s work and how and why he asks you to look in detail at something you might not otherwise look at. There is a sense of finding beauty in the ordinary. We also discussed the influence on his work of Japanese prints.

Finally we spend some time with the picture. This was not easy in one of the busiest galleries in the museum! We had to be almost war like with our little stools! This workshop was perfect timing for me as it came less than a week after I’d been to the Van Gogh Museum.

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