IDENTITY
Up-hill
Literature
Work Summary
A short religious dialogue in which a traveller asks whether the difficult road continues all day and whether rest and shelter await at the end. The uphill journey functions as an allegory of human life, spiritual perseverance and eventual rest.
Evidence Summary
Across four documented events from 6 Oct 1875 to 30 Oct 1877, Van Gogh's engagement with Up-hill progresses through quotation/copying.
Truly life is a fight.
CONTEXT
Author / Source
Christina Georgina Rossetti
Work
Up-hill
Years / Period
6 Oct 1875 | 26 Aug 1876 | 3 Nov 1876 | 30 Oct 1877
Van Gogh Relation
Quoted / Copied, Compared / Connected
EVIDENCE
Key Quotation
Truly life is a fight.
Does the road go uphill then all the way?
From morn till night, my friend.
Our life is a pilgrims progress.
CONNECTIONS
Evidence Trail
6 Oct 1875 — Letter 54
Quoted
Does the road go uphill then all the way?
Response: Van Gogh copies/uses the poem; no motive should be added beyond the documented use.
Connection: Early use of the uphill journey image.
26 Aug 1876 — Letter 89
Quoted / associated with visual art
From morn till night, my friend.
Response: The poem is placed in Van Gogh's discussion of a pilgrim image and landscape.
Connection: Poetry, landscape and a visual image of pilgrimage are brought together.
3 Nov 1876 — Letter 96
Quoted / applied to sermon
Our life is a pilgrims progress.
Response: Van Gogh explicitly frames life as a pilgrim's progress and uses the uphill dialogue inside that reflection.
Connection: The poem is used in an explicit reflection on life's journey, effort and hope.
30 Oct 1877 — Letter 133
Quoted / reapplied
Truly life is a fight.
Response: Van Gogh places the same lines beside a reflection that life is a fight and difficulties develop inner strength.
Connection: Repeated quotation now accompanies explicit language of struggle and inner strength.
Related Research Nodes
Study Subject
Themes
Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.