IDENTITY

Letter 535 — Paint Handling & Revision

Nuenen, 1885

Content Summary

In October 1885 at Nuenen, Van Gogh discusses direct brushwork, the use of the palette knife and the possibility of scraping down and restarting passages during revision.

CONTEXT

Topics

Paint Handling, Revision, Direct brushwork, palette knife, scraping and restarting

Materials & Pigments

Brushes, Palette, Palette Knife

Related People

Vincent van Gogh, Bracquemond, Rubens, Hals, Rembrandt, Ruisdael, Van Goyen, Cuyp, Diaz, Corot, Millet, Israëls

Paintings

RESEARCH

Quotation

Research Focus

The letter documents a materially direct but highly revisable working method in which vigorous application and substantial reworking were compatible rather than contradictory.

Related Work / Relevance

SOURCES & EVIDENCE

Source Type

Letter

Source

Letter 535

Source Edition

Vincent van Gogh — The Letters, scholarly online edition (Van Gogh Museum / Huygens ING)

Source URL

https://vangoghletters.org/en/let535

Evidence Type

Primary Source, Scholarly Annotation