Vase with Carnations and Bottle 1886

Vincent van Gogh created "Vase with Carnations and Bottle" with oil on canvas to explore the silent dialogue between domestic objects. Van Gogh often used still life as a means to investigate color, form, and the emotional potential of everyday items. Consider the gendered history of domestic still life paintings, often relegated to women artists, and how Van Gogh, a man, situates himself within and against this tradition. His rendering, heavy with impasto, challenges the traditional smooth, polished surfaces, hinting at a deeper, perhaps troubled, engagement with domesticity. The flowers, carnations, traditionally symbolize love and affection, and in a broader social context, class and status, but here they are paired with a bottle and a glass of alcohol, suggesting perhaps a different narrative, one of solace. Van Gogh once wrote, "I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process." This quote resonates with the emotional intensity imbued in the painting. This artwork prompts us to reflect on the artist’s emotional state and the complex interplay between personal struggles and artistic expression.