March 30, 2011

Van Gogh

Happy Birthday, Francisco Goya and Vincent Van Gogh!

What a great day for art! Goya was born March 30, 1746, and Van Gogh was born March 30, 1853.

Goya

Goya was a Spanish Romantic-era painter who became a favorite of nobles and royals and, in 1789, was made court painter for Charles IV of Spain. Most of the art he produced at that time was portraits, but in his later years Goya experimented with other subjects, making prints of The Disasters of War, for example, and of bullfighting. 













One of the most disturbing things that Goya painted, to my mind, is the portrait of the Roman god Saturn devouring his son—partly because Goya painted it straight onto the walls of his own dining and sitting rooms! Yikes! How could anyone eat while staring at that mural????

Van Gogh was a Dutch post-Impressionist painter. He is well known for his use of bright colors, his contributions to the foundation of modern art, and for his depression. He severed his ear and even painted some self-portraits with his bandaged ear (he painted 37 self-portraits during his life!), and he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chest (although he did live two days after he shot himself!). 


Van Gogh's work include some of the most recognizable and expensive paintings in the world.

Celebrate today by painting a picture.

You might like the inspiration found on KinderArt.

Or try these other art-oriented activities:

• Color Van Gogh's Bedroom, Sunflowers,  or Starry Night.  
• Color Goya's Sunshade. 

• Read some bios, see some paintings, and do some puzzles on the Garden of Praise website. Goya and Van Gogh are both represented.