on Van Gogh, Understanding Art, 7 th Ed., Lois Fichner-Rathus

1. on Van Gogh, Understanding Art, 7th Ed., Lois Fichner-Rathus In The Night Café, Vincent Van Gogh used color expressively rather than realistically. A café is generally seen as a place to unwind and relax in the company of friends, yet the artist chose this harsh palette to tell the world that this is a place where one “can ruin oneself.” The red of the walls and the green of the ceiling class, yet the billiard table and floor, which both contain reds and greens marry the two. The agitated swirls of local color that surround the lamps create lights that never were – a psychological display of brilliance and agitation.

2. Name: ____________________________________ Date: _________________ on Van Gogh, Understanding Art, 7th Ed., Lois Fichner-Rathus In The Night Café, Vincent Van Gogh used color expressively rather than realistically. A café is generally seen as a place to unwind and relax in the company of friends, yet the artist chose this harsh palette to tell the world that this is a place where one “can ruin oneself.” The red of the walls and the green of the ceiling class, yet the billiard table and floor, which both contain reds and greens marry the two. The agitated swirls of local color that surround the lamps create lights that never were – a psychological display of brilliance and agitation. What kind of café must the Night Café be if it can be a place where one “can ruin oneself”? Name two colors that the artist could have used to make the café look more relaxing and innocent? Explain your reasoning: _____________________________________________________ What does the author mean when he/she states that the red and green billiard table marry the green ceiling and red walls?