Vincent in Hat - SOLD

By Chloe Cumming
 
Acrylic and casein on board
Original artwork
Framed
Image size: H: 20cm x W: 14cm
Framed size:  H:40cm x W:34cm
 
 
This extraordinary and intimate portrait of Vincent van Gogh is one of a 2022 series of painted and drawn works by Norfolk-based Chloe Cumming.
 
Chloe created the first of this series of haunting portraits to mark the 2022 Van Gogh show at The Courtauld, London. The show took, as its springboard, van Gogh’s iconic 'Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear', one of the most celebrated works in The Courtauld’s collection, and brought together, for the first time, half of the self-portraits he created during his short years as a painter.
 
Chloe's intriguing 21st-century versions are drawn or painted in acrylic and casein, on board. They are small, intense and hugely expressive in their marks - utterly fascinating and intriguing, in fact. Like The Courtauld, she offers us another chance to connect with this much misunderstood artist. 
 
It's also interesting to see a female view of him, echoing the often-overlooked role played by Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, the artist’s sister-in-law, who publicised his importance after his death and almost single-handedly steered the market for his works.
 
"I do feel a kinship with him. There’s something about the urgency of the way he worked and the relentless, visceral connection to feeling, which is what allows his art to resonate now, in part. There’s also something about the warmth of his colours and the depiction of warmth and heat - the need for warmth, the need for connection through art, when connecting with people is challenging and often painful, as it was for him."

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