Autumn 1886

Vincent and Theo move to a larger apartment on rue Lepic. At the end of the month, Vincent discovers the work of French artist Adolphe Monticelli, whose vibrant colors and rich impasto technique make a lasting impression on him. Using Monticelli’s work as a guide, Vincent strives to develop his own rough, coloristic style. Through this effort, he develops a palette graced with more color and light.

Painting in oil on canvas, he experiments with bright colors and complementary contrasts applied in a thick impasto. Rather than wait for each application to dry, he paints some of his still-life subjects using a wet-in-wet technique.

– Alisia Robin Coon, Van Gogh Timeline, in Becoming van Gogh, Denver Art Museum, 2012, 254