Basket of pansies on a small table 1887

Editor: Here we have Van Gogh's "Basket of pansies on a small table," created in 1887, using oil paint. It's smaller than I imagined it would be. The colour palette seems unusually subdued for Van Gogh...a bit muted and melancholic even. What do you see in it? Curator: It’s true, isn't it? Not the sunflowers and star-filled nights we often associate with him. I see a quietness, almost a humbleness here. Those pansies, they aren't shouting, are they? They're whispering of shadows, of things unseen. The way the light catches some petals and leaves others in almost complete darkness... Do you get a sense that perhaps it is about something lost, or at least contemplated? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. I was more focused on the overall subdued tone, maybe connecting it to his mental state. You see a sense of reflection, not necessarily despair? Curator: Precisely. It's as if he's saying, "Here is beauty, but it exists alongside shadows.” And perhaps the shadows allow the bright yellows to burn a little brighter, don't you think? Also I love the way the brushstrokes are so present; like he wants you to see how they make up each petal, or leaf. As if nothing is hidden from us. Editor: So, you’re saying that while the color palette hints at sadness, the brushwork, and maybe even the composition itself, point to a search for truth? Curator: Exactly! A truth wrapped in beauty, and also…not quite! Beauty as a fleeting notion… Did we solve a little piece of the puzzle today? Editor: Definitely! Seeing that interplay, the push and pull… it makes me appreciate the painting, and Van Gogh, so much more. Thanks!