Spectators in the Arena at Arles 1888

Vincent van Gogh painted 'Spectators in the Arena at Arles' using oil on canvas. His technique is very distinctive: thick, expressive brushstrokes, and bold colors. Van Gogh was less interested in depicting reality as it appeared, and more about using materials to express his emotional response. The impasto – that thick application of paint – creates a textured surface almost like a relief. Look closely, and you can see how the brushstrokes swirl and vibrate, giving the whole scene a sense of movement. The intense colors – the greens, yellows, and blues – add to this feeling. In van Gogh’s time, oil paints were becoming more widely available, which allowed artists to experiment with color and texture in new ways. What makes his painting modern is the visible sign of the labor and the intensity of the artist. It is the opposite of an industrially-produced product. The painting becomes a record of a very subjective and energetic human act.