Loving Vincent and more

As an avid Van Gogh fan I became euphoric when I heard about Loving Vincent. The animated movie about and based on the famous paintings of Vincent van Gogh. I have watched this twice. First was a screening in a film house with a Van Gogh expert en the last one was three weeks ago in a cinema.

This Polish production took 4 years to make. 125 artists painted 65.000 oil paintings based on some of Van Gogh’s works. Those 65.000 oil paintings on canvas are frames that tell the story. One second in the movie consists of 12 paintings. What viewers see on-screen is a feast for the eye. The result is so stunning. Those Van Gogh’s style/repro paintings come to life so vividly. It is eye orgasmic to see.

The story takes place a year after Van Gogh’s death. A friend of Van Gogh, Joseph Roulin, asks his son Armand to personally deliver the last letter to the painter’s brother, Theo. Armand’s quest forms the red line of the whole story. He meets Van Gogh’s physician Dr. Gachet. The more Armand knows about Van Gogh, the more he wonders why Van Gogh committed suicide. Fiction and what really happened are intertwined in the story.

The movie is divided into two parts. Armand’s search for Vincent’s brother, Theo is depicted in colour. All those Van Gogh style scenes in stunning colours and strong brush strokes move rigidly while the flash back parts in monochromatic sepia are smooth, allowing the viewers to see the difference.

Below I gladly share Van Gogh’s paintings seen in this movie. First the characters.

Joseph Roulin was a postman in Arles. Van Gogh left Paris for Arles, a town in South France. Roulin befriended Van Gogh closely. The painter made portrait of the whole Roulin family. Van Gogh wrote about Roulin family in his letter to his brother Theo. When Van Gogh was admitted to the clinic due to his breakdown, Roulin gave him a visit. It was Roulin who kept Theo updated about Vincent’s condition.

Armand Roulin, Joseph’s 17 years old son.

Dr. Paul Gachet. After Van Gogh’s was released from the clinic he met Dr. Gachet in Auvers-sur-Oise. Dr. Gachet became his friend and confidant.

Marguerite Gachet, Paul Gachet’s daughter

Adeline Ravoux, the oldest daughter of the Ravoux family. Van Gogh was a lodger at the Ravoux auberge (inn) in Auvers-sur-Oise.

Père Tanguy, seller of art supplies in Paris where Van Gogh and other painters bought their art necessities from.

Interior
Bedroom in Arles

The night cafe. This painting depicts the interior of Café de la Gare in Arles.

Cityscape
The Yellow House. The yellow house is located in Place Lamartine, Arles. Van Gogh rented four rooms in that house.

Cafe Terrace, Place du Forum, Arles

Landscape
Starry Night Over the Rhône, Arles

It is clear that I am enthusiastic about this movie, the first fully animated movie in the history. I recommend this to art lovers.

All Van Gogh paintings are taken from WikiArt under public domain resources.