Two Children 1890

Editor: Right, so here we have Van Gogh's "Two Children," painted in 1890. Looking at it, the first thing that strikes me is this... intense, almost unsettling directness in their gazes. What's your take on this double portrait? Curator: Unsettling...yes! You’ve nailed something essential. I find Van Gogh’s foray into portraits of this nature particularly captivating – the almost raw honesty. This isn't the saccharine sentimentality of some child portraits. See the earthy tones, the deliberate, almost clumsy brushstrokes? He wasn’t after photorealism, was he? Editor: Not in the slightest! More like capturing their inner selves, maybe? Or… projecting something of his own feelings onto them? Curator: Precisely! There's this raw energy – his very life force almost – imbued in the paint itself. It speaks to a connection, however fleeting, he felt with these young souls. Consider, too, the time. Painted in 1890. The last year of his life. He's facing down his own demons; can you see it reflected, somehow, in those unflinching gazes? Perhaps a recognition, or even acceptance of the struggles we all, children included, face. Editor: That makes sense. I hadn’t thought about the timeframe in relation to his life and mindset, but knowing that adds a whole new layer of meaning. Curator: The beauty, isn't it? We bring ourselves, and a piece brings itself to the viewing! And we meet in this beautiful dance of understanding. Editor: Definitely gives me a fresh way of looking at Van Gogh!