File:Vincent van Gogh - The Fisherman (Facing Right) - F1049 JH312.jpg
Vincent van Gogh - The Fisherman (Facing Right) - F1049 JH312.jpg
Vincent van Gogh: English: The Fisherman: Facing Right   (  ) Artist artist QS:P170,Q5582 Title English: The Fisherman: Facing Right Date November 1882 (De La Faille) 1883 (Christie's) Medium pencil, pen and brown ink on paper Dimensions height: 48.5 cm (19 in); width: 22.8 cm (8.9 in) dimensions QS:P2048,48.5U174728 dimensions QS:P2049,22.8U174728 Collection Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717 Object history Dr H.P. Bremmer, The Hague. F. Bremmer, The Hague. E.J. van Wisselingh & Co., Amsterdam. F.A.C. Guépin, London, and thence by descent to the present owner in 1966. Exhibition history Memphis, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, The Genius of Van Gogh, May - June 1982, no. 6 (illustrated p. 23). Inscriptions False signature in lower right: Vincent (De La Faille) Notes Catalogues raisonnés: F1049: Faille, Jacob Baart de la (1970) [1928] The Works of Vincent van Gogh. His Paintings and Drawings, Amsterdam: J.M. Meulenhoff, no. 1049 . JH312 : Jan Hulsker (1980), The Complete Van Gogh, Oxford: Phaidon, no.  312. Vincent drew obsessively from models at this period (Naifeh and Smith pp. 270-7), spending a great deal of his allowance on them and even purchasing clothes for them as he did in this case with the sou'wester he provided. This study is typical of many at the time, but the head has been especially finely modelled. Christie's lot notes observe "The figure’s withdrawn stare, however, betrays Van Gogh’s sensitive eye, turning the image into a compassionate homage to the harsh life of the fisherman, possibly even carrying some religious undertones, resonating with the Biblical symbolism of the subject." Letters (sou'wester) Letter 163 to Theodorus van Gogh and Anna van Gogh-Carbentus. Brussels, on or about Wednesday, 16 February 1881. Vincent van Gogh: The Letters. Van Gogh Museum. "As regards that other suit, I have another objective apart from wearing it myself for as long as possible, for the fact is that when it’s a bit older it will serve me in another way. You see, I’ll gradually need a small collection of work-clothes with which to dress the models for my drawings. The blue smock of Brabant, for example, the grey linen suit that the miners wear and their leather hat, also a straw hat and clogs, a fisherman’s costume of brown fustian and a sou’wester. And most definitely the clothing made of that kind of black or brown velvet that’s very picturesque and characteristic — furthermore, a red doublet or vest. Likewise a couple of women’s costumes, such as that of Kempen and the area of Antwerp with the Brabantian cap and that of Blankenberge, for example, or Scheveningen or Katwijk." References ; Naifeh, Steven; Smith, Gregory White (2011) Van Gogh: The Life, Profile Books ISBN: 978-1846680106. Source/Photographer Christie's, LotFinder: entry 5766398 (sale 1505, lot 46) Permission (Reusing this file)