Post-Van Gogh Retrospective:
Happy Art Collectors

Dr. T.F. Chen

When The Bady Is Sleep
Oil on canvas
40" x 30"
1990

This painting integrates three artworks: Vincent van Gogh's "La Bercuse (Mme. Roulin)" (1888) "Wheat Fields at Auvers" (1890) and Berthe Morisot's "The Mother and Sister of the Artist" (1873). At first glance, the painting appears to be a genuine artwork, however, we then realize there are two very different styles and techniques co-existing upon the canvas.

The structure of this painting originates from Morisot's artwork, with the artist's mother reading a book and her sister reclining on the sofa. Here, the mother is replaced by Van Gogh' s "Berceuse" from Southern France. The obsure wall behind the sister is also replaced by a bright painting of Vincent's, a view of wheat fields extending towards the horizon. The two women kept silent, both deeply emerged in their own thoughts.

This new painting can be interpreted as the following story: A peasant from the Midi came to Paris and successfully married a Parisienne. A baby was born to them. One day, the peasant's mother came up from Arles to visit the new family. She brought with her a precious gift- a painting from Vincent van Gogh. Her daughter-in-law welcomed the artwork, framed it and hung it upon the wall for decoration. Nevertheless, the two women found little to talk about. After the new born baby fell asleep in the berseau, a deep silence fell between the two women-a generation gap as well as a cultural gap- till the cry of the baby pierced the heavy air!

This is Chen's version of the story, what's your's?