Vincent van Gogh, A Pair of Shoes

A Pair of Shoes by Vincent van Gogh displays the strikingly static yet kinetic type of brushwork that Vincent van Gogh is known for. The piece is a painting of a pair of black worn shoes, most likely male shoes, lying on a nondescript surface. One shoe is standing upright, while the other shoe is upside down with its sole in the air. The shoes appear to be very realistic in the use of texture and light on the objects. The piece makes the greatest use of shadows and highlights to create its realistic appearance. The shadows and the highlights give the piece a three dimensional depth, despite the lack of an apparent background outside of black nothingness and a tan surface of some kind. But while the shoes obtain an air of realism, they also display an impressionist style. The brushstrokes of the piece are quick and chunky. They give the piece a look of being fuzzy or blurred while still retaining the overall realistic notions of the piece. These erratic brushstrokes also provide the image with a type of kinetic feeling. The brushstrokes are all different from one another and their placement gives the appearance of a flow in the paint. The overall effect of this is a paradoxical image. The brushstrokes are implying movement while the actual image the brushstrokes are conveying is of a static object.

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