Today's Monday haibun is about reflecting on Vincent Van Gogh's painting, "View of the Church of de Mausole". I found this a delightful exercise.
If I were to choose a calendar month for this painting, it would most likely be autumn. But because of the way light from the sun falls on the fields and spreads like butter throughout the sky, it could be Van Gogh's depiction of a spring or summer day..or even a colder, winter scene.
Autumn leaves streak across the sky, or could those be morning cirrus clouds sprayed gold by the rising sun? Perhaps it is a hot afternoon or almost twilight when the sunset melds everything into long shadows and afterglows of the day's mirages. Would shadows be as prevalent or stretched long if it were painted during the earlier part of the day? Van Gogh's blues and golds, heavily splashed on canvas, flow like a river, suggest evening-time. But, they seem to reflect the sky in the terrain below. There is no obvious snow and the trees have most of their leaves, so I am leaning toward a late September day.
I am struck by Van Gogh's ability to express such passion so boldly. I am impressed he doesn't appear to hide secrets or hold back his fears, joys and sorrows. I imagine him sitting on a stool not far away, wildly wielding his brushes up and down and across, driven, his clothes splattered in colors of paint and his face awash with red in the heat of his work.
Buoyant solace, mirth
Vincent's French countryside church
overlooking all
You have so clearly 'painted' with your words the scene that van Gogh has drawn. Very well penned Haibun.
ReplyDeleteI think for Van Gogh.. as so many Artists
ReplyDeletewithout children.. expresSinG creativity
is a way to self
authentication..
as we all have
a basic
instinct
to create
in some way..
and no doubt Van Gogh's
flow of art.. put him in a state
of mind to escape the pains
of life.. the art
of mind and mind
of creativity
is more now
than science
and alive
too
as long
as canvas
lives.. a new
creation exists..:)
Painting
children live
long and prosper..;)
I envy his view and passion for the colors, capturing the season with bold colors ~ I really like this part:
ReplyDeleteBut because of the way light from the sun falls on the fields and spreads like butter throughout the sky
Thanks for the second haibun share Kathy ~
I like how this has the feel of an essay, culminating with the lovely haiku.
ReplyDeleteOh..sun spreading like butter - what an incredible image that is. I so like how you went into Van Gogh and let us sit watching him paint - the passion on the canvas equal to the passion in this haibun. Bouyant solace....wonderful!
ReplyDeleteA poetic analysis! Nice.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, your haibun is kinder to Vincent than some - an enjoyable.read
ReplyDeleteI love that expression 'the light spreading like butter across the sky'... The golden leaves on the trees made me think autumn too.
ReplyDeleteI love that you envisioned Fall. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI really love how you tied it together with the haiku at the end.. magnificent.
ReplyDeleteI actually wish I read this prior to writing my haibun. You read the painting well.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you interpreted the painting... Giving it a kaleidoscope of possibility. Somehow just as he would have wished, I think.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being our docent in considering this masterpiece by Vincent...and adding your vibrant haiku at the end!
ReplyDeleteI feel as if I am listening to an art teacher helping students see through the artist's yes, senses...so much I love in this but what struck me was also how I first saw the field as the rapids of a river in your "heavily splashed on canvas, flow like a river, suggest evening-time". A lovely haiku tying the art teacher's last words of wisdom and connaissance.
ReplyDeleteI like how you muse and surmise about just what time of year was it that this was painted. I too could see him on a stool working diligently. Wonderful take on the prompt!
ReplyDeleteIt's all been said above, so just let me add ... Bravo. Bastet
ReplyDeleteLovely reflections.
ReplyDelete