"Night Cafe" on the banks of the Rhone.
About the Author:
Huo Jianqi, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, film director, screenwriter and producer. Born in Beijing in 1958, graduated from the Fine Arts Department of Beijing Film Academy.
His representative works include "The Man and the Dog in the Mountain", "The White Flower of Autumn", "Xiao Hong", and "Xuanzang of the Tang Dynasty". In 2003, "Warm" directed by him won the Golden Kylin Award in the main competition unit at the 16th Tokyo International Film Festival. He has also won the China Film Golden Rooster Award for Best Director, the China Film Huabiao Award for Outstanding Director, the "Five Ones Project" Award, the Best Director Award at the Beijing University Student Film Festival, and more. In 2005, Huo Jianqi was awarded the title of "National Film Artist with Outstanding Contributions".
That year, I visited the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and it took a morning to see it. I didn't expect that his works were hung in a 4-story building, and these paintings were only a quarter of all his works. one. Van Gogh's life was short, only 37 years, yet there are such a large number of works scattered all over the world. His creative peak began in Arles in the south of France, while his life ended in Auvers in the north. During the visit, I would often stand in front of his paintings and take pictures, as if taking a photo with him himself.
When I was in college, I saw Owen Stone's Biography of Van Gogh: The Longing for Life under the streetlight. His legendary experience was amazing, a kind of illusion. At that time, I was in my early 20s, a little ignorant, a little confused. Now, I can't just stand in front of his paintings, I want to walk into his paintings and feel his strange life... I'm going to Arles! I'm going to Orville!
Color flows in Arles
Arles belongs to the Provence region, but May is not the season for lavender blooms, nor is it a feature here. I don't care about lavender, what I care about is Arles, because where I can meet Van Gogh, I can pass by Van Gogh like a shadow.
At the beginning of May of that year, I went to Cannes, and Nice was close at hand, but I must first visit the sunshine and starry sky in Arles, and see the real world depicted in the painting with my own eyes. My translator, Feng Feng, and I arrived at this beautiful town in the evening, stayed in a hotel by the Rhone River, and started walking in the footsteps of Van Gogh without taking a rest. Van Gogh once said: "I really hope everyone can come to Arles like me." I thought to myself: "Vincent, I'm here!"
The small city of Arles is located on the Rhone River, on the Mediterranean The breeze blows the land of southern France. In fact, when Van Gogh chose this place, he listened to Cezanne's advice, and we hurried to Arles after passing through Aix and seeing Cézanne's former residence and paintings. In ancient Rome, it became the "Little Rome of the Gauls". The old city has a sense of dilapidation. Surrounding the perimeter of the arena, the houses of different sizes and rows are criss-crossed. With the changes of the times, traditions are superimposed here, showing a mix of gray-green and goose-yellow. The tone is dizzying all the way. I fell in love with this place all of a sudden, as if I knew why Van Gogh stayed here - not only because the sun is shining and the air is clear, but the key is that this place is too picturesque and has too much texture. You see, the beige-gray houses have pink-green windows, olive green, gray green, and dark green, which are countless greens! There are hundreds of them, forming an intertwined color spectrum, and of course, there will be yellow, orange, orange, red, etc. jumping among them. Beauty is everywhere here. The passion of Van Gogh is surging here, and the color is flowing here, which is the inevitable result of Van Gogh's sincere character swaying on canvas.
Inside a Van Gogh painting
The afterglow of the setting sun illuminates St. Tophim's Church, the sunset gradually fades, and the afterglow of the sinking west outlines the silhouette of Arles. Along the high and narrow alleys of the old street, suddenly in front of you, this is the square of Jerome. The square is not very big, and in the middle of the shade is a group of open-air dining. After a day's rush, we were really hungry. On the occasion of the selection, when I turned around, "Night Outdoor Cafe" came into view - wow! This is the "original", a three-dimensional space! Feng Feng and I nodded knowingly, very happy, that's it! It was our first painting "into Van Gogh" in Arles, and we became the people in it. I walked around it, carefully scrutinizing "this work", as if Van Gogh was looking for an angle before painting, so as to experience more possibilities of this famous painting.
Van Gogh's "Starry Night on the Rhone".
Director Huo Jianqi is holding Van Gogh's "Night Outdoor Cafe", and the dining place is the "Night Outdoor Cafe" in reality.
Self-portrait by Van Gogh.
The Rhone River originates in the Alps and flows mainly through Switzerland and France.
That night, I chose a cafe under the stars, imagining my own interpretation of "Van Gogh": whenever night fell, my footsteps ran to the open-air cafe not far from his residence. Standing next to it, from the same perspective as the painting, under the yellow light, the orange-yellow wall is in sharp contrast with the blue of the night sky. He must feel that the night is more attractive than the daytime. The stars in the sky are exaggerated like The white lotus flowers blooming on the lake are the poetic meaning floating on the picture. Van Gogh was lonely, and his inner fluctuations were only vented on the canvas during the day. Every night, he walked out of the lonely hut and rushed towards the lights in the dark to obtain the background sound of human voices and the comfort of warm settlement.
I finally got to the screen! He opened his orange-red trench coat and rested against the wall. In the chill of the night, the soup was the first one. After drinking the bright yellow pumpkin soup, it warmed up a lot. I don't know where Van Gogh likes to sit for coffee, if this is the seat? It is unimaginable that the soul of more than 100 years ago, he was like a shadow, and looked at us. I want to tell him: Bewitched by you, I'm here, just arrived!
starry night on the rhone
Say goodbye to the hustle and bustle of the Ferrom open-air café and head back to the hotel by the Tinker Taylor Bridge. The small town engulfed by the dark night, the sleeping Arles, only the Rhone River breathes soothingly, and through the dark blue night sky, it is the best time to experience the "Starry Night on the Rhone River" in "Starry Night No. 2". On the side of the wall that is not short by the river, immersed in the scenery in front of you, the Rhone River at night is quiet and silent. The dim river reflects the street lamps along the river, thinking of how extravagant the gas lamps were 100 years ago on the long bank, the emptiness in front of me is the artistic conception of Van Gogh's works.
"Starry Night on the Rhône" depicts the echo of the sky and the river, the stars twinkling in the night sky, two canoes moored on the river bank, and a couple strolling leisurely on the bank. In the low-density dark blue, the night sky is shimmering with purple light, and the stars are like
fireworks .
The wind is blowing, and the wind is blowing the phoenix tree and whispering, making the night even more peaceful. A pair of traveling couples crossed before their eyes, reminding the embellishment of the two figures in the painting - it was beautiful, and it also strengthened Van Gogh's lonely heart. He loves nature, loves art, longs for life, and fantasizes about love. In his quiet pictures, wanton brushstrokes, uneasy unease and irritable and anxious intentions are hidden in the quiet pictures, as if listening to blues music: sadness, loneliness, melancholy, and confusion. The trouble of being born at an untimely time, painting creation is neglected, writing passionately about life, and hurt by the art of painting. He can't see the meaning of life, he can only walk frantically by the Rhone River, looking for the relief and solace in his heart.
Back in the room, I can finally get a good night's sleep. This is a hotel with a romantic design, small rooms, a gray-blue roof, and a sky full of painted stars. The words from Van Gogh's letter to his brother Theo sounded in my ears: "I don't know what is certain in the world, I only know that as soon as I see the stars, I start to dream." Yes, I turned around and went to sleep and started dreaming about the stars.
deadly yellow room
When I woke up, there was a blue sky outside the window. Van Gogh came to Arles because of the bright sunshine and dazzling wheat fields. Facing the dazzling sunlight, we passed through the old city, crossed the cavalry gate at the edge of the city, and came to the "Yellow House". In the original layout, there is a grocery store and garden on the left side of the picture, Van Gogh's two-story house on the right, and a railway bridge on the far right, but unfortunately this yellow house was destroyed in World War II. Suddenly flashed back: at the Van Gogh Museum in the Netherlands, I once stood in front of the painting "The Yellow House", where the furnishings were arranged to welcome the arrival of painting friends.
Many places in Arles have the logo of Van Gogh's paintings, and this place is the "prototype" of "The Yellow House".
The real scene depicted in "The Garden of the Hospital in Arles" has hardly changed for a hundred years.
The real scene depicted in "The Garden of the Hospital in Arles" has hardly changed for a hundred years.
Van Gogh rented the yellow house next to Place Lamartine at a cheap price. He not only had his own studio, but also painted the small room with yellow himself, in order to welcome his friend who came from afar, Gauguin. He prepared a few decent pieces of furniture for his long-awaited friend, and added a special chair. Throughout the winter, Van Gogh spent almost all the living expenses sent by his brother Theo on painting the house and adding furniture, and he eagerly awaited Gauguin's arrival. When Theo had a considerable amount of travel expenses, the impoverished and frustrated painter friend who was the most valued painter in Van Gogh's life arrived on schedule. When Gauguin appeared in the bright yellow house, Van Gogh was ecstatic, as if he felt at home.
Lonely painters think that they are closer to the dream of painting, but they don't know that the artist's personality makes them cherish each other and love and kill each other. Whenever Van Gogh released his depression to Gauguin and talked about the long backlog of painting ideas, Gauguin always ridiculed him dismissively, which made Van Gogh disappointed and angry. The two post-impressionist painters with great artistic personalities did not spend a day without a fierce quarrel. However, whenever Gauguin was about to leave Arles, Van Gogh was instantly speechless. Spent 62 days of Art Shengya. Their encounter is fate, and their sincerity in art makes them feel free from grudges. As night fell, at Gauguin's suggestion, Van Gogh took him to the downtown to relax, but the two broke up. cut off his own ears. It was a fatal blow. From then on, the two were separated from each other. Perhaps it was that cruel node that "achieved" two extraordinary painters in the world.
hospital with garden
Maybe Van Gogh cut off his ear to express his true feelings, but this almost crazy behavior would eventually scare Gauguin away, and he was admitted to the hospital with a garden. We wandered around in the dense alleys of Arles, and finally came across a secluded and isolated place shrouded in the shadow of the backlight, the gray closed high wall gave people a gloomy and depressing feeling, and above the stone door of the hospital was engraved "The Lord". Palace Hospital". Passing through the dark doorway and corridor, the eyes are full of gorgeous and colorful flowers. Today, there is an endless stream of visitors. This courtyard, which is no longer a hospital, depicts the look of the building according to the colors of Van Gogh's paintings. Let us walk in "The Garden of Arles Hospital". Ray, Van Gogh's chief physician, was responsible for treating Van Gogh's illness. He was meticulous to Van Gogh. In order to help Van Gogh recover his health, he encouraged Van Gogh to continue to create, which made Van Gogh follow Ray's side like a child to gain a sense of security. In order to avoid the onlookers and trailing children along the way, Lei and his wife went to the yellow house in person and took Van Gogh's picture frame and easel. Van Gogh was moved by his special care.
The garden is surrounded by a circle of corridors. Looking around, it is as if Van Gogh in a phantom pushed the door and walked out of the ward. He carried the painting box and looked for the most beautiful angle. I searched for the location of this painting, and I felt that more than a century ago, Van Gogh was sitting in the courtyard where birds and flowers were fragrant, feeling the silence under the sun. The departure of the fierce confrontation with Gauguin has calmed his restless nerves a little, and it seems that painting has given him short-term peace. There is a circular fountain in the middle of the courtyard. I approached the edge of the pool along the radial path. This thin fountain probably touched the expression of Van Gogh when he painted. His expression must be focused and pleasant.
Artist's Arena
Overlooking the small town of Arles, the most striking landmark building is the Arena, which makes the atmosphere that should be casual and leisurely look majestic. As early as the 1st century AD, there was the Arena of Arles. The traces of history are written on the face of the city. It can be seen that this inconspicuous small city must not be underestimated. The fighting scenes in the movie "Gladiator" were filmed here, and I was deeply impressed by the impact of the picture, the grandeur of the environment, the mortal struggle, and the tension of moving the camera. In an instant, the film's intensely changing visuals lingered, and the afterimages of the characters in the plot dragged like Van Gogh and Gauguin's fight. That's not a movie, it's a real existence. The important thing is that they came here together, and their stories become The reverberation of the ancient Roman arena reflects the appreciation and wrestling between artists, which should not have happened between painters with calmness and depth.
The Audience at the Colosseum of Arles is a work by Van Gogh showing the gladiatorial game. However, you can't seem to see the gladiatorial scene. The picture is almost obscured by the audience in the stands, and the bullfighter and the bull are blurred in the sun Overexposed distance. This work has a very painterly feel, and the contrast between the far and near figures is intriguing: in the shadows in the distance there is a lively atmosphere of voices, and in the vicinity is a woman in a costume and holding a parasol.
Vincent van Gogh played by American actor Kirk Douglas in the film The Desire for Life.
Van Gogh's "The Arles Suspension Bridge".
"Vincent, here I come!"
When this painting was created, Gauguin and Van Gogh had been together day and night to learn painting skills. Van Gogh admired Gauguin, and some works were even influenced by him, including this painting. Of course, both of their paintings belong to the Post-Impressionist style, but the brushes are very different—one soft, the other intense, yet their personalities are the opposite of their paintings. A century ago, the victorious bullfighter showed the strength of his winner by cutting the ears of a bull. In 1888, Gauguin and Van Gogh watched a bullfight together. Perhaps this detail potentially influenced Van Gogh's mind - that's what toughness should be like. Never thought that in their entertainment, Gauguin inadvertently ridiculed Van Gogh for his incompetence in women, making the self-respecting but hard-to-let Van Gogh out of control, and cutting off his own ears with extreme behavior, he thought. Show his best friend that he is not a coward. In an instant, the matador's complex seemed to be possessed by him, making it a mixture of strong and weak, and a distorted dance broke out in the trance eager for approval, making people shudder, hiding the dual personality of weakness and violence.
The Laundress by the Silent River
Just like the fusion of Impressionist colors, people also need to alternate between the hustle and bustle and the loneliness. The actual location of Van Gogh's "Arles Suspension Bridge" is on the outskirts of the town. After walking a little far, we drove there. After a while, we came to the side of the suspension bridge sitting and lying in the idyllic scenery. The sun was shining brightly on this day, the sky was blue, and the river water set off the suspended wooden bridge, but the happy smiling face of the washerwoman was missing from the picture. Van Gogh was immersed in a soothing mood. Several village women jumping in color stirred the river and rippled, as if he could hear their laughter. The carriage passed the suspension bridge, echoing the movement, and the picture suddenly became animated.
This work is colorful, Van Gogh roaming in the countryside is relaxed and happy, the ripples on the water are like the sound of a harp, and the water is pleasant. In March in early spring, Van Gogh expressed this way: Today, the river is flowing under the blue sky, a carriage is passing through the suspension bridge, the river is as blue as the sky, the orange river bank and the green grass beside it, and the There was a group of washerwomen in all kinds of clothes. Avoiding the noise of the city, Van Gogh obtained the tranquility in front of him. It is conceivable that the pure color was excited in Van Gogh's heart. He enjoyed the interlaced brushstrokes and the rich colors, expressing his deep affection for nature. He quickly shared his happy mood with his younger brother: "Theo, today's feeling is too good, to exaggerate a little, I have never seen such a beautiful scenery, the picture changes the feeling of Ukiyo-e. If you come here, you'd better stay for a while, and you will definitely experience the feeling of being there, and nature has such a color."
"The Arles Suspension Bridge" conveys a simple rural atmosphere: the field is full of waves and shaded by trees. Swaying with the wind, the field paths meander, looking from above the river, the sky stretches to the periphery, and the pulled bridge confronts the oncoming sunlight. Intoxicated by the idyllic greenery around us, we temporarily avoided Van Gogh's suffering, relieved our troubled heart, and allowed his restless heart to enjoy the rare tranquility alone.
Looking back at Saint Remy
Leaving Arles, there is one more place to go - Saint-Rémy, who created "Starry Night". Because we are going to Marseille today, Feng Feng said that on the way, take time to see the sanatorium where Van Gogh last lived in southern France. It is 25 kilometers from Arles to Saint-Rémy, we are driving on the road in the fields, just entering May, we can see neither sunflowers nor lavender, just looking for people in the wilderness. After a long journey, I haven't seen Van Gogh's final destination - St. Paul's Abbey. At this time, we saw in the distance a stone castle on the vast plain, and we guessed that it must be there. There are some gravel-paved paths in that direction. After walking for a long time, I could not reach the foot of the mountain, but along the way, I saw tall pine trees, standing darkly in the cracks of the stones - this is much like the pine trees in "Starry Night", Reliable.
I finally came to Stone City, but this is not the monastery where Van Gogh is located, but a historic site. Many people come to see it. After resting, we know that it is a unique cliff stone city. The town of Lebo is located about 20 kilometers northeast of Arles. It was built in AD 950 and completely cut out from between the cliffs. It still retains the medieval style. From Arles to Saint-Rémy, you will pass through the town of Lebo, just in time to experience the different customs of this ancient village along the way.
The town of Lebo (also translated as the town of Leibao) was built in AD 950. This castle-like town built on a cliff seems to have been carved out of stone.
Van Gogh's "The Red Vineyard".
We ended up rubbing shoulders with the asylum where Van Gogh lived - yes, we went in the wrong direction, but there was really no free time, maybe God didn't want us to see Van Gogh's tragic life that year, we Only in this environment can experience the meaning of "Starry Night". He said to Theo: "These cypresses are always haunting my mind, and I really want to paint them like sunflowers. Because I'm curious, there is no work that shows the cypresses in my mind. They are like black Notes, jumping in a sunny landscape. These black notes are both rich and extremely difficult to play.”
Van Gogh lived in a sanatorium for nearly a year. Even if his mental state was up and down, he persevered in his creations, and used the notes of life to play a peerless movement.
Until the sunflowers bloom
The car headed in the direction of Nice. Looking back at Saint-Rémy, I heard what Van Gogh said to his brother Theo: "Saint Paul's Abbey should be a good place to recuperate, but the change in living environment has made me feel at ease. After seeing weird lunatics and mental patients here, Instead, I was no longer inexplicably afraid, and gradually regarded madness as a disease like other diseases." Van Gogh tried to calm down his complicated mood, and his disease was the result of family inheritance. At that time, in this small town in southern France called Arles, many residents hated Van Gogh and this vulgar "madman". They watched Van Gogh carry a large bundle of canvases and paints to the fields before dawn. When they came back, their eyes were burning with the afterglow of the setting sun, and their frantic eyes conveyed a look of despair.
Van Gogh was always harassed and watched by some children while walking on the street. They even hit Van Gogh with stones. His extremely fragile nerves were severely injured. The residents of Arles also jointly petitioned the mayor and sent him to the hospital again, and the police also seized the yellow house and all his paintings... However, ironically, the hospital in the courtyard of Arles has now become a "Van Gogh" Tourist Center”, where tourists from all over the world flock every day, and the shops inside are selling souvenirs printed with paintings by Van Gogh, who has almost become an endorsement of the city. Now, the residents of Arles must be grateful to Van Gogh - the little-known town has become a tourist attraction, and when they secretly rejoice, are they apologetic to Van Gogh? Will it make up for the past mistakes in the current way? Do people regret being prejudiced against Van Gogh in the past? Van Gogh's time in Arles, from January 1888 to May 1889, should have been a very important course in his life.
Goodbye, Van Gogh!
Looking back on the history of Impressionism, it is gratifying that in January 1890, at the "Exhibition of 20" in Brussels, Van Gogh's "The Red Vineyard" was purchased by Ujenu Paucheu, who was still alive. The only work ever sold. At the Paris Independence Art Exhibition in March, Van Gogh also exhibited paintings, and many painters gave high praise to his works. For the first time, Theo felt the society's recognition of his brother, and he was very happy. At the exhibition, Pissarro said: "Van Gogh had a real success among artists." Monet said: "Van Gogh's paintings are the best works in the whole exhibition." Gauguin said: "Van Gogh's paintings The most popular in this exhibition."
During his years in Arles, Van Gogh left a large number of self-portraits, and we could not capture his subtle expressions in large brushstrokes, nor did he leave any photos of that time. In fact, the photography technology at that time has made great progress. He must think that his image is ugly. We have only seen a photo of his back in the documents. The splendid paintings that fill the contemporary era blur his appearance. Later, I saw a portrait of him. It was the first portrait of Van Gogh painted by his Australian classmate John Peter Russell. Russell left Van Gogh's true face to the world, so that the world can witness his charm. They are classmates, and only friends who have been friends for many years can keenly capture Van Gogh's true expression and dashing spirit. Today, Van Gogh himself and his works are respected by the world, which is very emotional.
This trip to Arles was only for Van Gogh and had no time to take into account the experience of other historical sites. Arles also "designed" the landmark of "Van Gogh Road" for us - in the yellow color that Van Gogh liked. As an indicator color scale, it guides people to the dream space of world famous works. By the way, "broadcast", the landmarks are also: blue is about "the remains of ancient Roman times", green is about the traditional remains of the Middle Ages.
Arles, I will come again!
