''Les Arènes'' is a painting by
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, inc ...
executed in
Arles
Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...
, in November or December 1888, during the period of time when
Paul Gauguin
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin (, ; ; 7 June 1848 – 8 May 1903) was a French Post-Impressionist artist. Unappreciated until after his death, Gauguin is now recognized for his experimental use of colour and Synthetist style that were distinct fr ...
was living with him in The
Yellow House. The bullfight season in Arles that year started on Easter Sunday 1April and ended on 21October. Van Gogh's painting is therefore not a study from nature but done from memory. Gauguin encouraged van Gogh to work in the studio in this manner. The painting may not be finished as the paint is very thinly applied, and patches of bare
jute show through in places.
[Gayford, Martin. ''The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Arles'', Fig Tree, Penguin, 2006, . page 152]
It seems that members of
the Roulin Family are depicted in this portrait, and the woman in Arlésienne costume has the profile of
Madame Ginoux.
A matter of weeks after painting this canvas, van Gogh cut off part of his own ear. One of the many theories about this notorious incident is that the
bullfight
Bullfighting is a physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, immobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations.
There are several variations, including some forms wh ...
s (or "bull games" as they are called in Arles) made a deep impression on van Gogh, in particular the custom of severing one ear of a defeated bull. The victorious matador circles the arena displaying this prize to the crowd, before presenting it to a lady of his choice. There is some doubt as to whether the bulls were killed in this fashion in Arles in van Gogh's time.
[Graetz, H. R., ''The Symbolic Language of Vincent van Gogh,'' McGraw-Hill 1963]
See also
*
Arles Amphitheatre
Footnotes
External links
*
Hermitage Museum website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arenes
Paintings of Arles by Vincent van Gogh
Paintings in the collection of the Hermitage Museum
1888 paintings