Still Life with Drawing Board, Pipe, Onions and Sealing-Wax 1889

Editor: We’re looking at Van Gogh's “Still Life with Drawing Board, Pipe, Onions and Sealing-Wax” from 1889. Painted with oil, there’s such a palpable sense of loneliness. I find myself wondering about the artist and his day-to-day life while looking at the ordinary objects displayed in front of me. How do you interpret this work within its historical context? Curator: This piece is a fascinating window into Van Gogh’s experience at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum. It’s critical to understand the social stigma surrounding mental illness at the time and how that institutional context shapes the artist’s vision. Notice the seemingly mundane objects: the onions, the pipe. How do these items take on significance when we consider his confinement and the restrictions imposed on his life? Editor: That makes sense. It’s like these objects become stand-ins for broader social commentaries. I hadn't really considered his restricted life at the asylum when viewing it at first. Curator: Exactly. And beyond his personal confinement, Post-Impressionism was grappling with breaking free from academic traditions. How does this painting challenge those conventions in its subject matter and its style? Editor: I can definitely see the deviation in style from the classic artworks, considering his brushstrokes and perspective techniques. His approach seems quite radical! Curator: Precisely. Think about who was being exhibited and celebrated in mainstream salons at the time versus artists like Van Gogh, who often faced rejection and ridicule. This "still life," an unpretentious arrangement from the artist’s reality, acts as a commentary against the artistic expectations of the era and offers some solace to the artist at the time. It gives us much to reflect on even now! Editor: Wow, looking at it that way totally changes my perspective. I’ve learned so much more than just a painting of onions, bottles and tobacco. Curator: I agree, thinking about the politics embedded in art opens up new understandings and layers for interpretation.