Stillleben mit fünf Flaschen 1884

Vincent van Gogh made this still life of five bottles with oil on canvas. The arrangement of the bottles and the variation in their forms and colors create a visually compelling composition. The image prompts us to consider the social context in which Van Gogh was working and the way it influenced his artistic practice. Van Gogh painted this still life while working in France. The bottles themselves are everyday objects that would have been familiar to people living in this time and place. In representing these bottles, Van Gogh was making a statement about the value and beauty of the ordinary. The way the bottles are lit may be commenting on the nature of perception and representation. Historians use a variety of resources, such as letters, diaries, and other period documents, to better understand the artist's life and work and the cultural and historical context in which it was produced.