Still Life: Majolica with Wildflowers

Van Gogh's Still Life with Majolica and Wildflowers at the Barnes Foundation combines two elements characteristic of his Arles still lifes: the vivid decorated pottery of the south and the informal, spontaneous character of wildflowers rather than the cultivated specimens of his Paris flower arrangements. Majolica — the richly decorated earthenware pottery of southern Europe — was different in character from the plain Dutch ceramics of his Nuenen still lifes: its decorated surface added a second layer of color interest, the painted patterns on the pot competing and harmonizing with the flowers above it. Van Gogh collected a few pieces of Provençal pottery during his Arles stay, using them as subjects and as objects that gave his Yellow House studio character. Albert C. Barnes acquired this work for his Foundation's collection as part of his systematic engagement with Post-Impressionist painting, building a collection that emphasized the visual qualities of color and composition over the decorative or biographical appeal that had made Van Gogh fashionable among more conventional collectors. Seeing this work in the Barnes's unconventional installation — hung in relation to Renoir, Cézanne, and African sculpture rather than in the isolation of conventional museum display — gives it a different kind of context than a typical white-wall presentation would provide.

The majolica vase provides both a chromatic anchor and a patterned surface that adds visual interest to the composition. The wildflowers above are rendered with varied, spontaneous brushwork appropriate to their informal character. Van Gogh's Arles palette brings warm color to the whole, the decorative majolica and loose flowers creating an informal southern vitality.