When we think about the painting style of Pointillism (where one creates pictures through interlinking dots of paint rather than longer brushstrokes) the first artist who usually comes to mind is usually Georges Seurat - best known for his iconic works like Bathers at Asnieres.
I actually prefer Theo's flavor of pointillism over Seurat's. I always found Seurat's work a bit sterile, but there are more varied moods and greater vibrancy in van Rysselberghe's work. Thanks for introducing me to another great artist I've never come across before!
I know what you mean. Personally, I do love Seurat - but he definitely comes at art from a much more scientific / analytic standpoint, which perhaps gives his work that more sterily feel. Whereas Theo certianly seems to have been much more of an intuitive painter with his pointillism.
Along with the beautiful art—the landscapes I thought stunning, and presenting entirely different moods—I really enjoyed learning of the connections you noted with other artists, not to mention the delightful bonus. As to that, another connection is to an artist you displayed in an earlier delightful post—Anna Boch!
Thanks Susan - I’m really glad you enjoyed those little connections too. And even more so, that you also remembered the link to Anna Bloch from my previous article too. That honestly makes my day!
This was so great in that I don't remember another artist where I thought while looking at the different paintings, "Oh, that reminds me of Modigliani", "Oh, that reminds me of Fauvism", "Oh, that reminds me of JS Sargent", "Oh, that reminds me of early Monet". Fantastic post.
I saw “Entrance to the Port of Volendam” today at the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum in Madrid. It is a striking painting, so unlike other Pointillist paintings because of the choice of colors.
You do such a wonderful job of revealing the art through the person of the artist. How fascinating he jumped from the dour, brooding portraits of his youth. And then a light switched on! The world was alive! And full of color! And all of those wonderful dots! Theo, more than most of these artists, is one whom I would love to have met. And clearly such a gentleman! What a bouquet of flowers in their home.
I really appreciate you kind words, Jeff. And so glad you enjoyed Theo’s work here too. You are so right about it being as if someone turned the lights on for him!
The story about the "other Theo" gave me chills. Brilliant minds meet! Wasn't there something about that show in Vincent's last letter (which you shared recently)? Your memory is probably better than mine these days. But I recall that giving tremendous hope to Vincent.
I did write another piece about that show in the past as it was actually an artist calle Anna Boch who bought it. (It was on my feature about her work)
So perhaps that is the one you may be thinking of. But, yes, Vincent was delighted by the sale - although in classic form, he also spent a lot of time crediting his friends, influences, and his brother for the work too, while not really keeping any of the credit for himself.
George, my friend, let me reward you with someone else digging in as you do (yours truly).
You led us to Van Gogh's letters. Here is one from Theo to Vincent from 22 October 1889. He is talking about a/the visit that you reference in the post. At the bottom, Theo makes the point of what I really like about Van Rijsselberghe's work.
"I’ve had several people to see your paintings. Israëls’ son, who has been living in Paris for a while, Veth, a Dutchman who does portraits and who writes in De Nieuwe Gids, that journal you’ve perhaps heard about that makes people so indignant but in which good things often appear, and then Van Rijsselberghe, one of the Vingtistes from Brussels, the latter also saw everything there is at Tanguy’s, and your works seem to interest him a great deal. In Belgium they’re already more accustomed to brightly coloured painting, the Vingtistes’ exhibition did a lot of good in that respect, despite the fact that nobody’s buying anything there. The Independents’ exhibition is finished and I have your irises back; it’s one of your good things. I consider that you’re strongest when you’re doing real things, like that, or like the Tarascon diligence, or the child’s head, or the upright undergrowth with the ivy. The form is so well defined and the whole is full of colour. I clearly sense what preoccupies you in the new canvases like the village in the moonlight or the mountains, but I feel that the search for style takes away the real sentiment of things."
Van Rijsselberghe captures the sentiment of things! He has the painterly skill; but the colors give him an added dimension for doing so.
(And of course as an aside, his famous Irises went to the Independents' exhibition and came back. Alas.)
It is like being in the attic of someone delightful, reading those letters. I could spend hours here (and probably not a bad place to be, with so much chaos in the world at present). Here is Theo again, a few weeks later. The incidental details of works in a shop window, and who was invited to the show in Brussels are ... extraordinary.
"This morning there was a letter for you from Les Vingt in Brussels, I put your address on it.6 A line from Maus that I received at the same time tells me that they’d be happy if you would exhibit, paintings and drawings. When he came, he very much liked the apple trees in blossom,7 but Van Rijsselberghe grasps better what you’re seeking in the more recent things.8 The portrait of Roulin,9 The sunflowers10 etc. You must tell me what you think of the exhibition and what you want to send there. I believe there’s 5 to 7 metres of wall space. This year they’ve invited Puvis de Chavannes, Bartholomé, Cézanne, Dubois-Pillet, Forain, Signac, L. Pissarro, Hayet, Renoir, Sisley and De Lautrec and you. However bad the Independents’ exhibition was, The Irises were seen by a lot of people who talk to me about them. If we could have a regular exhibition in Paris of artists little known by the public, that would be a good thing, but it would have to be almost a permanent exhibition. The premises are so expensive here, that will always be a drawback.
"Pissarro wrote to me that his wife and he have already had a little look round the country for a place for you to lodge, but he says that he thinks you’ll be better off with this Dr at Auvers; he says he’s to see him shortly.13 I’m pleased that you feel better; the more physical strength you have, the better. Write to me sometime about how your clothes are, don’t you need something warm? Fortunately Jo is well and sends her warm regards. Winter’s already starting here. Does the mistral blow in St-Rémy as it does in Arles?"
A wonderful piece. Thank you, not only for the introduction to an artist I was not familiar with but for the anecdote regarding his chance relationship with Theo van Gogh and what it lead to.
Thank you for your interesting art history article. I love the seeing the paintings that you decide to put up - my fave Pointillism and I'm sure it is for quite a few is “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” 1884 by Georges Seurat, I remember I tried to recreate this painting in school quite a few years ago.
Van Gough is also a favourite of mine and isn't it a shame that Van Gough didn't actually find out how brilliant he is.
Yet again another really interesting article, I’m so pleased with this subscription without doubt my favourite, it never disappoints.
You’re very kind. Thank you.
I actually prefer Theo's flavor of pointillism over Seurat's. I always found Seurat's work a bit sterile, but there are more varied moods and greater vibrancy in van Rysselberghe's work. Thanks for introducing me to another great artist I've never come across before!
I know what you mean. Personally, I do love Seurat - but he definitely comes at art from a much more scientific / analytic standpoint, which perhaps gives his work that more sterily feel. Whereas Theo certianly seems to have been much more of an intuitive painter with his pointillism.
Totally agree with you both - such warmth in Theo’s work! You’ve introduced us to another wonderful artist, George - thanks again.
All such beautiful paintings by van Rysselberghe. Never heard of him though, so thanks for showcasing him.
Along with the beautiful art—the landscapes I thought stunning, and presenting entirely different moods—I really enjoyed learning of the connections you noted with other artists, not to mention the delightful bonus. As to that, another connection is to an artist you displayed in an earlier delightful post—Anna Boch!
Thanks Susan - I’m really glad you enjoyed those little connections too. And even more so, that you also remembered the link to Anna Bloch from my previous article too. That honestly makes my day!
Again, an artist I didn't know, I loved it! Specially "girl in green" is so beautiful!
And once again, you pick out the piece which is my favourite of his too! 😂😂
Seriously we must share such a similar taste in Art!
🤭I'm sure now! and I imagine it extends to other forms as well!
Yes, definitely. :)
This was so great in that I don't remember another artist where I thought while looking at the different paintings, "Oh, that reminds me of Modigliani", "Oh, that reminds me of Fauvism", "Oh, that reminds me of JS Sargent", "Oh, that reminds me of early Monet". Fantastic post.
I saw “Entrance to the Port of Volendam” today at the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum in Madrid. It is a striking painting, so unlike other Pointillist paintings because of the choice of colors.
Oh cool. I’ glad that was good timing for this too.
You do such a wonderful job of revealing the art through the person of the artist. How fascinating he jumped from the dour, brooding portraits of his youth. And then a light switched on! The world was alive! And full of color! And all of those wonderful dots! Theo, more than most of these artists, is one whom I would love to have met. And clearly such a gentleman! What a bouquet of flowers in their home.
Thanks, as ever, for sharing!
I really appreciate you kind words, Jeff. And so glad you enjoyed Theo’s work here too. You are so right about it being as if someone turned the lights on for him!
The story about the "other Theo" gave me chills. Brilliant minds meet! Wasn't there something about that show in Vincent's last letter (which you shared recently)? Your memory is probably better than mine these days. But I recall that giving tremendous hope to Vincent.
I did write another piece about that show in the past as it was actually an artist calle Anna Boch who bought it. (It was on my feature about her work)
So perhaps that is the one you may be thinking of. But, yes, Vincent was delighted by the sale - although in classic form, he also spent a lot of time crediting his friends, influences, and his brother for the work too, while not really keeping any of the credit for himself.
George, my friend, let me reward you with someone else digging in as you do (yours truly).
You led us to Van Gogh's letters. Here is one from Theo to Vincent from 22 October 1889. He is talking about a/the visit that you reference in the post. At the bottom, Theo makes the point of what I really like about Van Rijsselberghe's work.
"I’ve had several people to see your paintings. Israëls’ son, who has been living in Paris for a while, Veth, a Dutchman who does portraits and who writes in De Nieuwe Gids, that journal you’ve perhaps heard about that makes people so indignant but in which good things often appear, and then Van Rijsselberghe, one of the Vingtistes from Brussels, the latter also saw everything there is at Tanguy’s, and your works seem to interest him a great deal. In Belgium they’re already more accustomed to brightly coloured painting, the Vingtistes’ exhibition did a lot of good in that respect, despite the fact that nobody’s buying anything there. The Independents’ exhibition is finished and I have your irises back; it’s one of your good things. I consider that you’re strongest when you’re doing real things, like that, or like the Tarascon diligence, or the child’s head, or the upright undergrowth with the ivy. The form is so well defined and the whole is full of colour. I clearly sense what preoccupies you in the new canvases like the village in the moonlight or the mountains, but I feel that the search for style takes away the real sentiment of things."
Van Rijsselberghe captures the sentiment of things! He has the painterly skill; but the colors give him an added dimension for doing so.
(And of course as an aside, his famous Irises went to the Independents' exhibition and came back. Alas.)
https://vangoghletters.org/vg/letters/let813/letter.html#translation
Interesting stuff, Jeff. Thanks for sharing and doing such great digging to find one of Theo van Gogh’s letters too.
It is like being in the attic of someone delightful, reading those letters. I could spend hours here (and probably not a bad place to be, with so much chaos in the world at present). Here is Theo again, a few weeks later. The incidental details of works in a shop window, and who was invited to the show in Brussels are ... extraordinary.
https://vangoghletters.org/vg/letters/let819/letter.html
"This morning there was a letter for you from Les Vingt in Brussels, I put your address on it.6 A line from Maus that I received at the same time tells me that they’d be happy if you would exhibit, paintings and drawings. When he came, he very much liked the apple trees in blossom,7 but Van Rijsselberghe grasps better what you’re seeking in the more recent things.8 The portrait of Roulin,9 The sunflowers10 etc. You must tell me what you think of the exhibition and what you want to send there. I believe there’s 5 to 7 metres of wall space. This year they’ve invited Puvis de Chavannes, Bartholomé, Cézanne, Dubois-Pillet, Forain, Signac, L. Pissarro, Hayet, Renoir, Sisley and De Lautrec and you. However bad the Independents’ exhibition was, The Irises were seen by a lot of people who talk to me about them. If we could have a regular exhibition in Paris of artists little known by the public, that would be a good thing, but it would have to be almost a permanent exhibition. The premises are so expensive here, that will always be a drawback.
"Pissarro wrote to me that his wife and he have already had a little look round the country for a place for you to lodge, but he says that he thinks you’ll be better off with this Dr at Auvers; he says he’s to see him shortly.13 I’m pleased that you feel better; the more physical strength you have, the better. Write to me sometime about how your clothes are, don’t you need something warm? Fortunately Jo is well and sends her warm regards. Winter’s already starting here. Does the mistral blow in St-Rémy as it does in Arles?"
It was the piece on Van Gogh and Daubigny’s garden. The letter that you referred me to came a year later, in 1890.
This was a new Pointillist for me! And I was especially interested in the bonus feature with the Vincent & Theo connection. Thank you!
A wonderful piece. Thank you, not only for the introduction to an artist I was not familiar with but for the anecdote regarding his chance relationship with Theo van Gogh and what it lead to.
I’m glad to know you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading.
Wonderful introduction to a new (to me) artist and interesting side note on the Van Gogh connection! Thanks!
Thanks a lot, David. Glad to know you enjoyed it.
Thank you for your interesting art history article. I love the seeing the paintings that you decide to put up - my fave Pointillism and I'm sure it is for quite a few is “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” 1884 by Georges Seurat, I remember I tried to recreate this painting in school quite a few years ago.
Van Gough is also a favourite of mine and isn't it a shame that Van Gough didn't actually find out how brilliant he is.