, Van Gogh, Vincent – Boats at Saintes-Maries Hermitage ~ part 02

The composition presents a cluster of fishing boats stranded on a sandy shore, viewed under a dramatic sky. The artist has chosen a high vantage point, allowing for a broad view of the scene and emphasizing the scale of both the vessels and the surrounding environment. A strong horizontal emphasis is established by the shoreline, which bisects the canvas roughly in the middle.
The color palette is dominated by intense hues: a vibrant yellow-orange defines the beach, contrasting sharply with the deep blue tones of the sky and water. The boats themselves are rendered in an equally bold array of colors – reds, greens, blues – applied with thick, visible brushstrokes that contribute to a sense of textural dynamism. These saturated colors do not appear naturalistic; instead, they convey a heightened emotional intensity.
The artist’s treatment of form is noteworthy. The boats are simplified into geometric shapes, their outlines defined by dark contours. Perspective appears distorted, contributing to the overall feeling of unreality and emphasizing the subjective nature of perception. The masts of the boats reach upwards, creating a network of lines that intersect with the sky, further amplifying the sense of verticality.
Beyond the immediate depiction of maritime life, the painting seems to explore themes of isolation and transience. The stranded boats suggest a moment of pause or disruption – a temporary cessation of activity. Their vibrant colors, juxtaposed against the somber blue of the sky, might symbolize resilience in the face of adversity or perhaps an underlying melancholy. The starkness of the scene, devoid of human figures, reinforces this sense of solitude and invites contemplation on the relationship between humanity and nature.
The brushwork itself – the visible strokes and impasto – suggests a deliberate rejection of traditional academic techniques, favoring instead a more expressive and emotionally charged approach to representation. This stylistic choice contributes significantly to the painting’s overall impact, conveying not just what is seen but also how it is felt.