Avenue of Pollard Birches and Poplars - Vincent van Gogh

Gift of Richard and Mary L. Gray

"Avenue of Pollard Birches and Poplars" by Vincent van Gogh (March 1884) Reed pen and iron-gall ink on tan laid paper.

Commentary

"Avenue of Pollard Birches and Poplars" by Vincent van Gogh (March 1884) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. Themes to notice include drawings (visual works). This piece is h eld in the source collection's Prints and Drawings collection. Vincent van Gogh is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: Vincent van Gogh Dutch, 1853–1890. The work is cataloged within a Netherlands cultural context. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as drawings (visual works), which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Reed pen and iron-gall ink on tan laid paper) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (19.2 × 26.5 cm (7 9/16 × 10 7/16 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include drawings (visual works). Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/202382

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data