The artwork entitled “Still Life – French Novels” was created by Vincent van Gogh around the year 1888 in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France. This piece, executed with oil on canvas, measures 73.2 by 53 cm and belongs to the genre of still life, rendered in the Post-Impressionism art movement. Presently, the artwork is housed in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The artwork features an arrangement of several French novels placed haphazardly on what appears to be a table. The books vary in size and color, with muted tones of yellow, green, red, and brown dominating the composition. The tablecloth underneath them is adorned with random patterns in white and shades of pink, providing a subtle background contrast. Van Gogh’s characteristic brushstrokes and vivid colors evoke a sense of simplicity and everyday life while capturing the casual disorder of the scene.
