"Ah, to paint figures like Claude Monet paints landscapes. "So many of us wish to paint like Van Gogh; I think it's rather inspiring to know he had someone he wished to paint like too. This letter was written 14 months before his death.
-- Vincent van Gogh, letter to Theo, 3 May 1889.
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Comments
But his wish remained a pious hope!
Yes, indeed! But… it was written before his last brilliant 70 days. 14 months is a huge period of time for any developing artist. I think the idea “I wish to paint like …” is absolutely wrong. The main point is “to paint like myself and nobody else”
Van Gogh maybe wanted simply to mean that he was a great admirer, a “fan” of Monet. A kind of tribute paid to him. But the biggest idol of Van Gogh was a contemporary French painter of Van Gogh, Adolphe Monticelli. Today It may be surprising because the latter unfortunately, sank into oblivion!
Natalya Kalugina, I take a close look at your site: do you know the greatest Armenian painter, Martiros Sarian? Your paintings are close to his art.