Canvas - Van Gogh, Potato Eater 1885

Katoffelesser 1885, canvas with frame

Beautify your white walls with this eye-catching framed canvas! This high-quality canvas made of pine wood has rubber pads on the back corners. The wall mount is already attached, so the artwork can be hung up in no time. Additionally, the frame gives the canvas a cool, floating effect!

• Pine wood frame
• Frame thickness: 3.18 cm (1.25″)
• Canvas fabric weight: 344 g/m² +/- 25g/m² (10.15 +/- 0.74 oz/yd²)
• Open back
• Rubber pads on the back corners
• Hanging hardware already attached
• Blank product from the USA

Katoffelesser 1885, canvas without frame

Looking for some flair for your office or home? Your search ends here! This canvas print - Van Gogh, Potato Eaters Katoffelesser 1885 with vibrant and fade-resistant colors is sure to catch the eye.

• Acid-free, pH-neutral poly-cotton base
• 0.5 mm thick poly-cotton fabric
• Canvas fabric weight: 470 g/m²
• Fade-resistant
• Hand-stretched on solid wood frame
• Matte coating
• 3.81 cm deep
• Including mounting clips
• Raw product sourced in the EU from Latvia
• Raw product sourced in the USA from the USA

The Potato Eaters, 1885

It is one of his early works, completed in 1885, and clearly differs from the more famous and colorful works for which he is known. "The Potato Eaters" is an expressionist work showing a group of peasants gathered around a simple potato meal.

1. Themes: The painting shows five people sitting around a rustic wooden table in a dimly lit room. Four of them are peasants, and the fifth person is a woman, possibly the mother of the group. They are engaged with a simple, modest meal of potatoes, which at the time was a staple food for many people in the countryside.

2. Lighting and Atmosphere: The painting is characterized by a dark and gloomy atmosphere. Van Gogh used a limited color palette dominated by earthy, somber tones to depict the harshness and poverty of the peasants' lives. The poorly lit room is illuminated by a single light source, probably an oil lamp, which casts deep shadows over the faces and surroundings, enhancing the sense of realism and seriousness in the scene.

3. Depictions of the Figures: Van Gogh paid special attention to the details of the faces and hands of the peasants. Their weathered, wrinkled, and cracked skin reflects the hardship of their lives. The faces of the figures are marked by hard work and poverty, and their expressions are stoic and thoughtful.

4. Symbolism and Social Critique: "The Potato Eaters" is often seen as a commentary on the harsh living conditions and daily struggle for survival of the rural population. Van Gogh wanted to depict the dignity and authenticity of their lives in this painting. It is a departure from his later, more colorful works, as it shows his interest in portraying the realities of everyday life, especially of the less privileged.

5. Influence and Style: The painting shows the influence of the dark and dramatic works of artists like Jean-François Millet, whose paintings often focused on rural life and the hardships of the countryside population. Van Gogh's own developing style is evident in the powerful, heavy brushwork and the rough, textured surface of the painting.

"The Potato Eaters" is of great importance in Van Gogh's work, as it marks an important early phase in his artistic development. It shows his deep empathy for the working class and his desire to depict human existence in all its complexity. This painting differs greatly from his later works, which are characterized by brighter colors and a more expressive, post-impressionist style.

Vincent van Gogh

Blog article: About life and the artistic legacy