Comparative Study by Lilly von Estorff

This comparative study examines the works of fine artist Vincent Van Gogh and the works of Pablo Picasso. The
focus of the study is to research how these two artists’ works compare and contrast each other based on their art
styles and techniques, as well as cultural and artistic backgrounds. The examined works will be Sorrowing Old Man (At
Eternity’s Gate) and Portrait of Dr. Gachet by Van Gogh. and The Old Guitarist by Pablo Picasso. I will also be
analyzing these artworks in the terms of how each artist expresses negative emotion through the form of the figures.
These artists have also impacting my art as well- I plan to include a similar concept as my art style develops and
become more complex.

Vincent Van Gogh, Doctor
Gachet, 1890. Oil On Canvas,
67 x 56
Cultural Context of Van Gogh
Van Gogh was a Dutch painter during the late 1890’s and is
known for his place in the Impressionist movement and is one of
the most revered and influential artists in art history. Van Gogh
became extremely depressed and ill as his life progressed and
during the last years of his life. He suffered from seizures and
neglected not only his physical health- but also his mental health.
He spent a small period of his life hospitalized to try and improve
his mental state. Despite this, he shot himself in the chest and
succumbed to his wounds. Because of his mental state, the last
year of his life is when his artwork mostly reflected his troubling
emotions. “I put my heart and soul into my work, and I have lost
my mind in the process.” said Van Gogh reflecting on his
paintings. These paintings included such as Portrait of Doctor
Gachet and Sorrowing Old Man (At Eternity’s Gate). In these
Vincent Van Gogh, Sorrowing
paintings emotion is expressed through the figure’s form and
Old Man (At Eternity’s Gate),
positioning which one can fully see and understand the tone 1890. Oil On Canvas, 80 x 64
reflected in these pieces.
Analysis of Formal Qualities: Sorrowing Old Man (At Eternity’s Gate) by Van Gogh

The emphasis of this

There is a notable piece is the old man. He
contrast against the is painted in the center of
man and the the piece and his blue
background. The blue clothing is first noticed
that the man is wearing when looking at this
has a stronger hue than piece, making the main
his surrounding colors of meaning and message
beige and white. This of this painting about
makes him stand out and him.
the focal point.

There is an added The color used in this

element of unity in this piece lacks vibrancy and
piece due to the balance is rather muted. The
created because the most emphasis of color
man is centered. Also is on the blue that the
the color scheme is man is wearing. Blue
relatively the same furthermore conveys the
making the piece feel depressive and anxious
more complete and as tone of this piece.
one.
Interpretation of Function and Purpose: Sorrowing Old Man (At Eternity’s Gate) by Van Gogh

Van Gogh completed this painted in May 1890, only two short months before he took his own life.
At this time, he had just gone through a severe relapse involving his mental health. During the
period of February to April of 1890, Van Gogh was barely able to function and had an extremely
difficult time coping with his depression and had a very depressive attitude and state of mind,
which is reflected in his paintings during this time. "What can I tell you of these two last months,
things aren’t going well at all, I’m more sad and bored than I could tell you, and I no longer know
what point I’m at …” wrote Van Gogh in a letter to his brother in late April. The man is pictured
crying and has his face buried in his clenched fists, expressing pent up anger, despair and grief.
He is sitting slouched over in a chair with his elbows supporting his upper body weight. This
alludes that the man is weak and tired. The fire is also symbolic to the man’s emotion’s- it
represents frustration and anger with the use of red flames. This piece is reflected of Van Gogh’s
negative emotions and further adds to the tone of pain, stress, and tension.

The title “At Eternity’s Gate”, is an important element to understanding the meaning behind this piece. It alludes to how even
when in complete pain and misery, Van Gogh still retained his faith shortly before his death. "It seems to me that a painter has
a duty to try to put an idea into his work. I was trying to say this in this print — but I can’t say it as beautifully, as strikingly as
reality, of which this is only a dim reflection seen in a dark mirror — that it seems to me that one of the strongest pieces of
evidence for the existence of 'something on high'” … “namely in the existence of a God and an eternity, is the unutterably
moving quality that there can be in the expression of an old man like that, without his being aware of it perhaps, as he sits so
quietly in the corner of his hearth.”... “simply the fact that the poorest woodcutter, heath farmer or miner can have moments of
emotion and mood that give him a sense of an eternal home that he is close to.” wrote Van Gogh in a letter.
Analysis of Formal Qualities: Portrait of Doctor Gachet, by Van Gogh
Space is shown in the
painting by the
linework in the
The man’s face is centered in brushstrokes as well as
the painting, which creates a the contrast between
point of emphasis. His blue the hills and sky. The
eyes also are a focal point and brushstrokes are
the hue of his skin is painted in different
contrasted against the darker directions, and hues,
background. which establishes them
from each other

Van Gogh uses color

to help establish the
tone of the piece.
Gachet’s jacket as well
The form of Gachet’s body as the background is
appears to be three-dimensional painted a dark blue
due to the value and variety of which is a color that
hues. Van Gogh painted the adds to the somber
jacket with a darker shade where tone of the piece.
there was a fold in the clothing,
making it have better form.
Interpretation of Function and Purpose: Portrait of Doctor Gachet, by Van Gogh

In May of 1990, Van Gogh painted this portrait of Doctor Gachet, whom was Van Gogh’s
primary doctor after his release from a mental hospital. Van Gogh was at first sceptical of
putting Gachet in his care due to the fact that he seemed to have severe depression of
his own. “First of all, he is sicker than I am, I think, or shall we say just as much, so that's
that. Now when one blind man leads another blind man, don't they both fall into the
ditch?", he wrote to his brother. Despite this, Van Gogh befriended Gachet due to their
similar personality and mindset. "I have found a true friend in Dr. Gachet, something like
another brother, so much do we resemble each other physically and also mentally.", he
wrote in a letter to his sister. Van Gogh painted this portrait with Gachet’s head resting
against his fist and elbow and left hand resting against a table. This position alludes to
Gachet being tired, (evident by his weak posture.) The main color used in this painting is
a dark blue, used to expresses a negative tone. The expression on his face is mournful
due to his dull, longing expression and conveys an emotion of sadness and distraught.
After completion, Van Gogh wrote to his sister. “I've done the portrait of M. Gachet with a
melancholy expression, which might well seem like a grimace to those who see it... Sad
but gentle, yet clear and intelligent, that is how many portraits ought to be done…”

Gachet is painted wearing a dark blue jacket, against a background being painted a similar blue. These shades compliment his
eyes and highlights his tired, longing expression. This furthermore expresses the somber tone of the piece due to the subdued
color. The two yellow books and the foxglove (a medicinal plant), that are positioned next to him, are particular to the man, being
that he is a doctor and these are attributes to show this. Van Gogh also wrote Gauguin, stating that: “Now I have a portrait of Dr.
Gachet with the deeply sad expression of our time.”
Cultural Context of Picasso
Pablo Picasso was a Spanish artist who thrived in the mid 1900’s. He is mostly known for his
impact in the cubism movement as well founding the Blue Period, in which he used a
monochromatic hue of blue in his paintings. What made this style of artwork so prominent is
that these paintings conveyed a theme of sadness through their dark tones, lack of vibrancy,
and overall unsettling, distorted form of the figures. These elements accomplished an
unsettling tone to his artwork. Pablo Picasso, The Old Guitarist,
1903-4. Oil on wood, 123 x 83

Pablo Picasso, The Death of
Casagemas, 1901. Oil on Wood
27 x 35
This period began shortly after one of Picasso’s friends committed suicide and this had a
dramatic negative impact on Picasso’s life. "I started painting in blue when I learned of
Casagemas's death", stated Picasso. These paintings are reflective of Picasso’s mood
and perspective. Another factor that lead to his Blue Period was the fact that he was very
much a struggling artist and barely had any money to his name and thus, was living a
rather impoverished lifestyle. He was not only influenced by his own life, but also by the
culture he was surrounded with at the time. Subjects of his pieces often were prostitutes
and beggars. His paintings all contained themes which alluded to his depression and
lifestyle, such as one of his most revered paintings, The Old Guitarist, which symbolized
Picasso’s somber and melancholy emotions.
Analysis of Formal Qualities: The Old Guitarist, by Pablo Picasso

The sole figure in this painting is

The figure’s angular form and the
the man holding his guitar. He is
monochromatic palette make the
centered in the middle of the
shapes in this piece appear
painting which creates balance.
someone flat. There is also an
The use of the monochromatic
element of movement in this piece
colors and little background bring
because the eye is drawn to the
this piece together. the guitar is
focal point of the guitar, then
also pictured along the man’s
moves to the man’s head and dark
entire body. Due to this unity is
eyes and travels throughout the
established.
painting following the shape of his
body.

This painting has a

monochromatic tone of blue
Blue is the primary color in this
except for this brown guitar. This
piece is almost entirely blue. This
creates a point of emphasis
shade is representative and
because the brown contrasts
symbolic of the somber and
against the blue making the eye
depressing tone of the painting.
drawn to it.
Interpretation of Function and Purpose: The Old Guitarist, by Pablo Picasso

Like many of Picasso’s paintings, The Old Guitarist was a part of the artists’ blue period. This was a
period where Picasso painting using various hues of blue. This painting was done in 1903, shortly
after Picasso’s close friend killed himself. Picasso channeled his sadness and depression through
his art and created works that reflected this emotion. His depression worsened in 1901 and lasted
several years. It was during this time that he rather withdrew himself and adapted a new artistic
style. Prior to this Picasso’s career was on the rise and his name was becoming more and more
well known. However, he continued to make more dark works such as The Old Guitarist, despite
that art critics and the general public turned their heads away from his works during his Blue Period.
The majority of these paintings were portraits highlighting outcasts and people of the poorer class.
Due to the anguish and dark tone of his pieces, Picasso’s financial situation greatly suffered
because people were uninterested by his paintings and didn’t wish to spend money on his work of
this style.

Picasso featured a blind beggar hunched over playing a guitar. The only shift in color throughout the whole painting is the
guitar. The guitar symbolizes the man’s strength or in other words, his purpose. He is pictured holding it close to his chest,
while he is sitting bent over it on the floor. His elongated, bony, body, tattered clothing and the fact that he is blind allude to
him being impoverished and using his guitar as his only source of purpose. The color scheme of the man and the background
are painted with different shades of blue. The color has a gloomy connotation and the overuse of it in this piece really
accentuates the tone Picasso was trying to convey. Overall the man’s body language and monochromaticity of The Old
Guitarist is representative of the mood he has and give a depressing tone to the piece.
 Comparison of Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso
Vincent Van Gogh, Sorrowing Old Man (At
Eternity’s Gate), 1890. Oil On Canvas, 80 x 64
Van Gogh
● Used a impressionism as his
method of painting. He used fine
brushstrokes that gave his works
movements and texture,
● Used blue tones as a focus in his
paintings but also included
complementary colors to give his
paintings vibrance.
Vincent Van Gogh, Doctor Gachet,
1890. Oil On Canvas, 67 x 56
Both
● Primarily made artwork around the same
time period in Europe (Van Gogh-
1890’s) (Picasso 1900s’).
● Painted portraits that channeled a dull,
depressing nature.
● Used color and body language to convey
their emotional state. This emphasized
the tone of their pieces
Pablo Picasso, The Old Guitarist, 1903-4. Oil
on wood, 123 x 83
Picasso
● Used a painting style similar to that of
El Greco, which somewhat of a
combination of expressionism and
cubism. It highlighted using angular
forms
● Painted monochromatically which gave
his paintings a lack of color and
dimension
 Comparison of Formal Qualities of Sorrowing Old Man and Dr. Gachet
Sorrowing Old Man
● Emphasis in this piece is stronger
due to the contrast of the figure and
the background. The blue color of
the man highly contrasts against
the white wall he is in front of.
● Finer brushstrokes were used
which gives the painting a lack of
texture.
Both
● Unity and balance is a quality seen in
both pieces. The subject is centered as
the focal point of the paintings. The
surrounding elements are balanced
around the figure. This creates unity.
● The color scheme both mainly focus on
blue tones but there is also prominence
of warmer colors like yellow and orange.
Dr. Gachet
● The emphasis in this painting is the
figure’s face. This is due to the fact
that his jacket and the background
have the same hue. There is emphasis
on the face primarily due to the lack of
contrast against the subject’s body and
the background.
● Finer lines and strokes were used
which create texture and movement.
 Comparison of Function and Purpose of Sorrowing Old Man and Dr. Gachet
Sorrowing Old Man
● The figure is pictures clenching his
fists with his head buried in his
hands. This represents anger and
frustration.
● The fire painted behind the man is
also another symbol which shows
this emotion due to the intensity of
the red and orange flames.
Both
● Both figures’ are both hunched over/
slouching. This body language alludes to
a negative tone.
● They are also both wearing blue- a
symbol for sadness
● Both were painted shortly before Van
Gogh killed himself- making it
understandable why these pieces have a
depressing nature.
Dr. Gachet
● The figure is painted slouched on a
table with his hand supporting his
head. His eyes give off a tired and
weak expression. Overall, the body
language in this piece alludes to being
worn out.
● The books and medicinal plant help
identify the subject- Dr. Gachet- who
was also suffering from depression.
 Comparison of Formal Qualities of Sorrowing Old Man and The Old Guitarist
Sorrowing Old Man
● The focal point of this painting is
the man. This is because he is
wearing all blue which contrasts
against the warm tones in the
background. This creates
emphasis.
● Fine lines are used and
brushstrokes are visible.
Both
● The paintings are both balanced. The
figures’ bodies are both centered and fill
up most of the space of the frame.
● The color scheme is similar. Blue is a
main color both of the pieces emphasize.
Yellows and browns are also featured as
well and compliment the cool tones of
the figures.
The Old Guitarist
● The emphasis in this painting is the
guitar the figure is holding. The warm
brown color is highly contrasted
against the cool tones the rest of the
painting has.
● There is more blending within this
piece. This creates a stronger quality
of dimension and depth.
Comparison of Function and Purpose of Sorrowing Old Man and The Old Guitarist
Sorrowing Old Man
● The subject of this piece was a war
veteran that Van Gogh observed.
● The main emotion this piece
evokes is pain due to anger and
frustration. This is apparent in the
man’s body language. It almost
appears as if he is holding in a
scream.
Both
● The color blue is emphasized as a focal
hue to associate the tone of the piece
with sadness.
● Both subjects of these portraits are older
and painted hunched over. This
symbolizes weakness and fatigue.
● The artist was going through a
depression when these works were
created.
The Old Guitarist
● Picasso painted this figure in tribute to
the poverty he saw while live in Spain.
The subject is a blind beggar.
● This piece evokes an emotion of
sadness and hopelessness. The figure
is wearing torn clothing. He is frail,
weak, and blind, and sitting on the
streets of Spain begging for money
while playing his guitar.
 Comparison of Formal Qualities of Dr Gachet and The Old Guitarist
Dr. Gachet
● The focal point of this painting is
the man’s face. It is very vibrant in
color compared to the darker,
cooler hues of the foreground and
background.
● In the man’s jacket and in the
background brushstrokes are
visible which create movement and
texture.
Both
● The tones of color in both paintings are
similar. Blue tones are used for the
majority of the piece while warm tones of
yellow and brown are included to accent
and complement the cool colors.
● Unity is apparent. The figures are both
centered and background objects are
placed in spaces that fill up the whole
frame making the pieces seem unified.
The Old Guitarist
● The guitar the man is holding contrast
against the rest of the painting. The
warm hue of the brown is emphasized
among the rest of the cool tones in the
piece.
● The painting style Picasso used is well
blended and textures appear smoother
because of this.
http://www.vangoghletters.org/vg/letters/RM23/letter.html
https://www.vincentvangogh.org/portrait-of-dr-gachet.jsp
https://news.masterworksfineart.com/2017/12/01/pablo-picasso-the-old-guitarist