Rain by Van Gogh

I was surprised by this painting because the colors are more muted than I expect from Vincent Van Gogh. The subject matter, rain, is difficult to capture well in painting, yet he has gotten it perfectly. Drops of rain have to capture light just right in order for our eyes to see it. Oftentimes I look out the window to see if it is raining or not, but it takes a moment for my eye to adjust and to see the rain. That is why I think this painting is so marvelous; it has caught that moment when your eye sees the rain drops.

I like how the storm has muted the colors in the scene. I also note that although Van Gogh uses the traditional vanishing point in this painting, he is more dependent on shape and form to suggest depth rather than using haze or dimness. As ever, I love the strong brush strokes with large amounts of paint applied to the canvas.

Thank you, Van Gogh, for giving me such a thrill of pleasure!