But let's be clear: Doctor Gachet was a mediocre artist. Ultimately, the lively nature and precision of Van Gogh's brushstrokes are surprisingly much closer to Jordaens's original work than his friend's engraving. Copying was much more than just an exercise for Van Gogh. He saw them as new interpretations of old ones and a way to promote the work of great artists he admired, such as Delacroix and Millet.
Jordaens' "Cows" thus takes a great leap into the modern era, taking on a naive, almost childlike quality. The landscape also undergoes a serious "facelift": it comes alive with new tones that are both mellow and tangy, from soft green to lemon yellow.
A handful of iconoclasts temporarily stirred up the small art world by questioning the authenticity of the painting. Experts and specialists took the matter very seriously, and the painting underwent a series of meticulous examinations in the late 1990s. The conclusion was: it is indeed a work by the painter, certainly not his best, but authentic.
Vincent van Gogh stayed in Auvers-sur-Oise for no more than two months before his death. Cows is the last known oil copy by him. A testament in the form of a final tribute to the old masters.
But let's be clear: Doctor Gachet was a mediocre artist. Ultimately, the lively nature and precision of Van Gogh's brushstrokes are surprisingly much closer to Jordaens's original work than his friend's engraving. Copying was much more than just an exercise for Van Gogh. He saw them as new interpretations of old ones and a way to promote the work of great artists he admired, such as Delacroix and Millet.
Jordaens' "Cows" thus takes a great leap into the modern era, taking on a naive, almost childlike quality. The landscape also undergoes a serious "facelift": it comes alive with new tones that are both mellow and tangy, from soft green to lemon yellow.
A handful of iconoclasts temporarily stirred up the small art world by questioning the authenticity of the painting. Experts and specialists took the matter very seriously, and the painting underwent a series of meticulous examinations in the late 1990s. The conclusion was: it is indeed a work by the painter, certainly not his best, but authentic.
Vincent van Gogh stayed in Auvers-sur-Oise for no more than two months before his death. Cows is the last known oil copy by him. A testament in the form of a final tribute to the old masters.
