Rays of divinity and blaze of spirituality: religious imageries in the letters and paintings of Vincent Willem van Gogh

Abstract

Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890) is a Post- Impressionist Dutch artist of the 19th century. He was born in Groot-Zundert, the Southern Netherlands. His father was a Calvinist pastor named Theodorus van Gogh, and his mother was Anna Cornelia Carbentus. After a failed career as an art dealer, teacher, bookseller, and evangelist, Van Gogh decided to pursue his art career at the age of 27. Despite a career spanning just a few years until his untimely death at the age of 37, Van Gogh displayed remarkable creativity, creating nearly 900 paintings along with numerous drawings and sketches. His fame extends not only for his artworks but also for the 903 letters he wrote, expressing his philosophical and spiritual insights to society. Even though Van Gogh was hailed as a great artist posthumously, his artwork significantly impacted 20th-century art because of its distinctive art style, individual themes, vivid colors, and profoundly emotional connotations. The thesis "Rays of Divinity and Blaze of Spirituality: Religious Imageries in the Letters and Paintings of Vincent Willem van Gogh" focuses on divinity and spirituality reflected in the life and works of Vincent van Gogh. His spiritual and divine reflections are evident in the religious imagery present in his paintings and letters. This thesis also reveals the lesser-known aspects of Van Gogh's life, highlighting how he utilized art as a medium to champion social justice and equality through his works. The selected paintings and letters of Van Gogh are analyzed in the light of religious imagery to demonstrate how Vincent van Gogh combined art and religion to communicate his beliefs and speak up for the oppressed. His letters and paintings are explored and analyzed as sources of his spiritual, religious, and aesthetic ideas.The various chapters in the thesis analyze the important phases in Van Gogh’s life and career. The first chapter, "Introduction," offers an overview of Van Gogh's life and artistic contributions. It elucidates the thesis's title, research methodology, literature review, chapter summaries, and underscores the significance of divinity and spirituality in Van Gogh's life. This chapter identifies research gaps and highlights the relevance of the study. The second chapter, "A Man of Words: Exploring Vincent van Gogh’s Literary Persona and His Epistolary Expressions of Religious and Spiritual Beliefs," depicts Van Gogh as a literary person and a talented writer who expresses his spiritual views and thoughts through his letters. In his letters, Van Gogh expresses his viewpoints on a range of topics and his true personality. By analyzing the events in Van Gogh's letters, this chapter attempts to track all the significant stages of his life that deepened his connections with spirituality. This chapter not only portrays him as a great writer but also as a literary person who loves books. All the key pieces of evidence gathered from his letters throughout the chapter affirm the significance of religion and spirituality in Van Gogh’s life. The third chapter, "Religious Imageries in Vincent Van Gogh’s Post- Impressionist Paintings," explores the importance of religious imageries in Van Gogh's paintings, which served as a way for him to express his deep spiritual contemplations. As a renowned Post-Impressionist artist, Van Gogh skillfully infused his artworks with symbolic meanings, vibrant colors, bold brushstrokes, and emotional compositions. The chapter examines how Post-Impressionism, with its focus on subjective expression and departure from traditional art norms, provided Van Gogh with an ideal platform to use religious imagery as a potent tool for his spiritual exploration. The study highlights how Van Gogh seamlessly integrated divine themes into his works through religious imageries found in Christianity and Buddhism. Furthermore, it reveals the transformative impact of Buddhist principles on his art amidst his influential phase in Antwerp in 1885. Immersed in Japanese art, Van Gogh embraced Buddhist concepts, forging a deep spiritual connection. This influence is evident in his selected paintings and letters from 1885 to 1890. Through rigorous analysis of specific artworks, ranging from "The Potato Eaters" to "Tree Roots," the chapter highlights significant moments in Van Gogh's artistic journey. By applying Post-Impressionist theory to these paintings, the chapter also reveals the underlying religious and symbolic meanings. The fourth chapter takes a unique perspective by depicting Van Gogh as an individual who harnessed art and religion as instruments to champion the cause of those in need. The chapter, “The Social Activist Embracing Spirituality: Vincent van Gogh’s Artistic Portrayals of Women’s Divine and Spiritual Essence,” demonstrates how Van Gogh incorporated Christian religious imagery in his art to support women and the downtrodden in society, presenting him as a social activist. This chapter highlights Van Gogh's concerns for the oppressed in society, with a particular focus on peasant women and prostitutes who face double oppression. The research methodology employed for the selection of paintings involves a critical analysis of artworks featuring Christian religious themes and female subjects. The primary aim of this chapter is to illustrate how Van Gogh tried to find a place for women in both religion and society. It exemplifies how Van Gogh applied his divine and spiritual thoughts to assist people in need.Chapter five, “Conclusion,” summarizes the main ideas discussed in the other core chapters and establishes Vincent van Gogh as a person deeply devoted to the divine and spiritual aspects throughout his entire life. This final chapter summarizes how different chapters in the thesis explore Van Gogh’s letters and artworks, which are filled with religious symbolism, to highlight Van Gogh's unwavering dedication to his religious and spiritual beliefs. Thus, this chapter concludes by restating the thesis statement that Van Gogh is a profoundly spiritual and religious individual, and faith has played a significant role in shaping both his life and creative expression. Furthermore, he has employed religious imagery in his works to utilize art as a medium for advocating social justice and equality. In the sixth chapter titled "Recommendation," the scope for further research on this topic is explained. This chapter demonstrates that the analysis of Vincent van Gogh's artworks goes beyond a single theory, as his distinctive artistic style offers multiple avenues for interpretation. This chapter sheds light on future researchers' paths by recommending the scope for exploring Van Gogh’s paintings from various theoretical perspectives, potentially situating him within different artistic eras or movements. Additionally, the thesis explores the influence of Japanese art on Van Gogh, challenging the notion of Western dominance and highlighting how Eastern artistic elements profoundly shaped his creative style. Thus, this chapter also shows how this unique case opens doors to broader investigations into the extensive influence of the East on the West across various domains, expanding future research horizons in this field. In conclusion, this thesis focuses on the life and works of Vincent Willem van Gogh to show the rays of divine and spiritual elements in Van Gogh’s life. It aims to illustrate Vincent Van Gogh's transformation of the spirituality he embraced into religious imagery within his artworks, portraying him as an artist who employed these motifs to communicate with society. Through the examination of religious imagery in Van Gogh's paintings and letters, this thesis emphasizes the pivotal role of divinity and spirituality in his life.