Van Gogh in Ottawa V - 1

Vincent moved to Auvers-sur-Oise in May 1890.  The close proximity to Paris brought the influence of the avant-garde into focus.  This spurred him on to create even more distinctive works of his own.  His colour and brushwork were further developed.  He painted more extreme close ups and extraordinary viewpoints.  He used the double square canvas size more frequently.  He was well aware of how crucial his deliberate and thoughtful orchestration of colour and brushwork were for the ultimate effect of these compositions.  The result he could not achieve in drawing.  In the Salon des Independents in March Gaugin exclaimed "you're the only one there who thinks".

Van Gogh's work became even more decorative in the sense of using local tone and pattern.  Very modern.

Village with Figures

Farmhouse

Ears of Wheat 

This is an extreme close up.  It is a flattened image like a tapestry.

Field with Poppies

Monet painted fields with poppies in his earlier work.  It was a significantly different approach even though both artists played with tilting and flattening and colour and brush work.

Going Wide

Undergrowth with Two Figures 1890

Using tree trunks, brush strokes, cloisonism, tilted planes.  Note the position of the foremost tree trunk.

Wheat Fields Near Auvers  1890

Close up detail, tilted plane, flattened decorative sky.

Wheat Stacks

Village

Vines 1890

Wheat Fields with Crows 1890

For more insight read Van Goghs Letters alongside the corresponding paintings.