Formal Analysis: At Eternity's Gate

Formal Analysis: At Eternity’s Gate

At Eternity’s Gate is an Oil Painting created by Van Gogh in a time of deprived health for the artist. This work was created only 2 months before his death. The man, sitting uneasily with his hands on his head clenched, wears only a blue overall. The condition of the work, as most art, has slightly faded, and is no longer densely colored, but mostly faded or worn out. In this artwork, Van Gogh uses strong vertical lines to give the sense of unease. These lines are present in the floor boards, the chair and in the wall. The lines give an unnerving feel to the room as vertical lines suggest that the room was not a place of tranquility, or calmness, but a rather gives a sense of despair. Furthermore, In the room there is also horizontal lines to suggest peace, and calmness. This also found on some parts of the chair. Theses conflicting uses of lines give the audience a sense of chaos and confusion in the world around the man. Van Gogh, predominantly known for his color usage also

In art, color is very personal and subjective, and gives different meaning to different people. However, in this Van Gogh piece, it is clear what the colors are used for. The blue found in the man’s overalls suggests uneasiness, melancholy and distress. Blue is unanimously associated with sorrow, and it is clear that in this piece, the subject is suffering immensely. The color is used to compliment the feelings the audience perceives from this artwork.

Although most of the work is covered by subtle colors, there is a small area of red in the form of a fire. The color red is used to signify passion, energy, strength and power. This sharp contrast between the red and blue is apparent and is done on purpose and distinctly. As you can see in the artwork, the fire is representing his agony. The colors show his depression and agony and reveal how truly broken down the subject