I have always loved this painting. It speaks to my soul. Even before I understood the events that led up to its creation, I could sense the deep agony the artist hid beneath the brilliant colors.Movement and light speak to the presence of a holy God. The little village sleeps as a powerful and mighty creator quietly coddles it in his loving arms. Absolutely beautiful.
In the foreground we see a cyprus tree, dark and foreboding. It places distance between the artist and the world he is observing. Just out of his reach lies a quiet, peaceful village. Beyond that village resides a powerful, mighty and caring God. For some reason the artist is distanced. He looks at life with admiring eyes and is amazed by the Giver of life, but cowers in the darkness, secretly telling us that he does not feel worthy to participate in so great a masterpiece. Absolutely agonizing.
Early in his life, Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) felt a strong tugging at his heart to serve God in full time Christian service. He wanted nothing more than to share the love of Christ with the world, but his desires were not well received by the Dutch Reformed Church. After being rejected by the seminary, he spent a number of years serving as a missionary to a village of coal minors. Not willing to elevate himself to a higher standard of living than the people to whom he was ministering, van Gogh led the humble life of a peasant.
This further alienated him from the church because many felt he was "degrading the priesthood." Van Gogh did not measure up to the high standards set by the church. The church was apathetic to this young man whom they felt could not live up to their standards. Academically and socially challenged, he left the church, dejected.
He embarked on a life that steadily spiraled downward. Broken relationships, lead poisoning, alcoholism, and eventually mental illness brought on by debauchery led him to a place that was far from his earlier, God given passions. Van Gogh was moving away from God and the church was blind and indifferent to his descent.
The last year of his misery found him in an asylum at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole. Tormented by unfulfilled ambitions, he walked the gardens observing the village below. From behind the dreary cyprus tree he looked out at the life he so longed for, but was unable to touch.
As I look at his "view from the asylum" I can feel his pain. He witnesses a God that is present, shinning His light in the heavens above and in the hearts below; the sky on fire with light and motion; the homes below illuminated by the same. A beautiful painting, but painted by an observer rather than a participant.
I can't help but notice the only two places in van Gogh's world where he sees no light: in his own heart, and in the institution that should have brought that light to him. This picture hangs in my office as a daily reminder that we as a church should never extinguish the light we are called to shine forth.
Van Gogh's paintings today are some of the most highly sought after in the world. They are displayed in museums and galleries worldwide. They tell the tale of a troubled, passionate soul yearning for acceptance in a world that rejected him.
I can't help but wonder what tale they would tell had he found the light of God in the church for which he yearned.
PK
