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A tile factory
Maker
(artist)
1853-1890
1853-1890
Title
A tile factory
Date of Production
March 1888
Medium
graphite, pen and brown ink on wove paper, with pinholes at all four corners
Dimensions
Height: 25.6 cm
Width: 34.8 cm
Width: 34.8 cm
Accession Number
D.1948.SC.155
Mode of Acquisition
Samuel Courtauld, bequest, 1948
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Copyright
Work in the public domain
Location
Not currently on display
Keywords
Notes
This drawing of a tile factory seen beyond ploughed fields was made from the road leading to the town of Tarascon, around half a mile outside Arles. Making drawings reduced the financial strain on Van Gogh’s brother Theo, who supported him. In a letter from the spring of 1888 the artist wrote, ‘if there comes a month or a fortnight where you feel pressed, let me know, from then on I’ll make drawings, and that will cost us less’. Here, using reed pens of various thicknesses, Van Gogh has rendered the scene with the diversity of mark-making found in his paintings. Long deliberate lines are used to describe the furrows of the field; quick successive strokes where the pen barely leaves the page suggest stubble; and fine lines denote the factory roof. Van Gogh’s careful attention to the factory extends to the fence that horizontally divides the composition, where each individual plank of wood has been meticulously demarcated. Meanwhile, elements in the foreground have been cursorily described and the upper third of the drawing remains relatively untouched. Beneath the graphite, which Van Gogh used first to situate the buildings and the cart and rider before applying the brown ink, is a visible grid that covers the entire sheet. Some of the lines are ruled, while others are hand drawn, but all were drawn with a hard pencil that left indentations on the sheet. This may be evidence of Van Gogh’s use of a perspective frame, a portable wooden frame crossed by wires in a grid formation that could be pinned to posts, aiding with the accurate representation of a scene. Having recently moved to Arles from Paris, Van Gogh was excited about working outdoors. Despite the picturesque surroundings, however, he chose to focus on the modern subject of a factory.
[Entry from The Courtauld Collection: A Vision for Impressionism, exh. cat., Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris, 2019]
Provenance
the artist's brother, Theo van Gogh, Paris (1857-1891), 1888; the artist's sister-in-law, Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, Amsterdam (1862-1925), 1891; by descent to her son, Vincent Willem van Gogh, Laren (1890-1978), 1925; presumably purchased from him by Leicester Galleries (London), 1926; purchased there by Samuel Courtauld, London (1876-1947), 26 April 1927 (£178 10s); Courtauld Bequest 1948
Exhibition History
Vincent van Gogh collectie van mevr. J. van Gogh Bonger, Vereiniging Voor de Kunst, Utrecht; Kunstkring, Rotterdam, 1923 (Feb.-Mar.)
The Courtauld Collection. A Vision for Impressionism, Louis Vuitton Foundation, Paris, 20/02/2019-17/06/2019
Mantegna to Matisse - Master Drawings from The Courtauld Gallery, The Frick Collection, New York, 02/10/2012-27/01/2013 ...More
Mantegna to Matisse - Master Drawings from The Courtauld Gallery, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 14/06/2012-09/09/2012
Van Gogh and Britain, Dean Gallery, Edinburgh and Compton Verney, 07/07/2006-24/09/2006
Van Gogh at Arles, Fondation Van Gogh, Arles, 30/06/2003-15/10/2003
Material Evidence, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/10/1998-24/01/1999
The Courtauld Collection: Masterpieces of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, 14/06/1998-21/09/1998
The Courtauld Collection, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, 26/12/1997-12/05/1998
Drawing the Line - Reappraising Drawing Past and Present, Southampton Art Gallery, Southampton, 13/01/1995-15/03/1995; Manchester City Art Gallery, Manchester, 18/03/1995-30/04/1995; Ferens Art Gallery, Hull, 13/05/1995-25/06/1995; Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, 07/07/1995-10/09/1995
Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Related Drawings from the
Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 11/05/1988-04/09/1988
The Impressionists and Post-Impressionists from the Courtauld Collection, Tokyo, 12/01/1984-28/02/1984; Kyoto, 03/03/1984-03/04/1984; Osaka, 12/04/1984-08/05/1984; Australia National Gallery, Canberra, 01/06/1984-06/08/1984
Mantegna to Cezanne - Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 24/02/1983-19/06/1983
19th and 20th Century Drawings and Prints from the Courtauld Collection, Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield, 29/10/1977-11/12/1977; Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton, 17/12/1977-28/01/1978; Bolton Museum and Art Gallery, Bolton, 04/02/1978-18/03/1978; Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle, 28/10/1978-10/12/1978; Ferens Art Gallery, Hull, 16/12/1978-28/01/1979; Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery, Portsmouth, 03/02/1979-18/03/1979
Samuel Courtauld's collection of French 19th century paintings and drawings: a centenary exhibition to commemorate the birth of Samuel Courtauld, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1976
A Selection of Drawings from The Witt/Courtauld Collections, University of Sussex, Falmer, 1964
Master Drawings from the Witt and Courtauld Collections, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, 17/11/1962-22/12/1962
Drawings and Engravings from the Courtauld Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, December 1959-April 1960
Impressionistes de la Collection Courtauld de Londres, Orangerie, Paris, 1955
Samuel Courtauld memorial exhibition, Tate Gallery, London, 1948
Van Gogh, Leicester Galleries, London, Nov. 1923
Vincent van Gogh Tekening uit de verzameling mevr. J. van Gogh Bonger en V.W. van Gogh, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, December 1914
Van Gogh, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, July 1905 ...Less
The Courtauld Collection. A Vision for Impressionism, Louis Vuitton Foundation, Paris, 20/02/2019-17/06/2019
Mantegna to Matisse - Master Drawings from The Courtauld Gallery, The Frick Collection, New York, 02/10/2012-27/01/2013 ...More
Mantegna to Matisse - Master Drawings from The Courtauld Gallery, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 14/06/2012-09/09/2012
Van Gogh and Britain, Dean Gallery, Edinburgh and Compton Verney, 07/07/2006-24/09/2006
Van Gogh at Arles, Fondation Van Gogh, Arles, 30/06/2003-15/10/2003
Material Evidence, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/10/1998-24/01/1999
The Courtauld Collection: Masterpieces of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, 14/06/1998-21/09/1998
The Courtauld Collection, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, 26/12/1997-12/05/1998
Drawing the Line - Reappraising Drawing Past and Present, Southampton Art Gallery, Southampton, 13/01/1995-15/03/1995; Manchester City Art Gallery, Manchester, 18/03/1995-30/04/1995; Ferens Art Gallery, Hull, 13/05/1995-25/06/1995; Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, 07/07/1995-10/09/1995
Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Related Drawings from the
Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 11/05/1988-04/09/1988
The Impressionists and Post-Impressionists from the Courtauld Collection, Tokyo, 12/01/1984-28/02/1984; Kyoto, 03/03/1984-03/04/1984; Osaka, 12/04/1984-08/05/1984; Australia National Gallery, Canberra, 01/06/1984-06/08/1984
Mantegna to Cezanne - Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 24/02/1983-19/06/1983
19th and 20th Century Drawings and Prints from the Courtauld Collection, Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield, 29/10/1977-11/12/1977; Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton, 17/12/1977-28/01/1978; Bolton Museum and Art Gallery, Bolton, 04/02/1978-18/03/1978; Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle, 28/10/1978-10/12/1978; Ferens Art Gallery, Hull, 16/12/1978-28/01/1979; Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery, Portsmouth, 03/02/1979-18/03/1979
Samuel Courtauld's collection of French 19th century paintings and drawings: a centenary exhibition to commemorate the birth of Samuel Courtauld, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1976
A Selection of Drawings from The Witt/Courtauld Collections, University of Sussex, Falmer, 1964
Master Drawings from the Witt and Courtauld Collections, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, 17/11/1962-22/12/1962
Drawings and Engravings from the Courtauld Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, December 1959-April 1960
Impressionistes de la Collection Courtauld de Londres, Orangerie, Paris, 1955
Samuel Courtauld memorial exhibition, Tate Gallery, London, 1948
Van Gogh, Leicester Galleries, London, Nov. 1923
Vincent van Gogh Tekening uit de verzameling mevr. J. van Gogh Bonger en V.W. van Gogh, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, December 1914
Van Gogh, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, July 1905 ...Less
Literature
Serres, Karen (ed.), The Courtauld Collection: A Vision for Impressionism, Paul Holberton Publishing 2019
no. 70, pp. 282-283
illus. p. 283
Mantegna to Matisse - Master Drawings from The Courtauld Gallery, Frick Collection, New York and Courtauld Gallery, London London 2012-2013
no. 55 on pp. 244-47
illus. p. 245, detail on p. 246
Van Gogh and Britain, Dean Gallery, Edinburgh, 2006
cat. no. 27 ...More
Van Gogh at Arles, Fondation Van Gogh, Arles, 2003
p. 26
illus. p. 27
The Courtauld Collection: Masterpieces of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, Art Gallery of Ontario, 1998
cat. no. 48
illus. p. 97
Hulsker, Jan, Complete van Gogh. Paintings, drawings, sketches. Revised and enlarged edition of the catalogue raisonne of the works of Vincent van Gogh, Amsterdam and Philadelphia 1996
no. 1373 on p. 308
illus. 1373 on p. 309
John House, Impressionism for England: Samuel Courtauld as Patron and Collector, Courtauld Institute Galleries 1994
no. 80
illus. p. 203
Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Related Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1988
cat. no. 23
illus. front and back covers
The Impressionists and Post-Impressionists from the Courtauld Collection, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Canberra, 1984
cat. no. 99
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
cat. no. 108
illus. p. 110
Drawings from the Courtauld, Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield; Wolverhampton Art Gallery; Bolton Museum and Art Gallery; Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle; Ferens Art Gallery, Hull; Ports, 1977-79
cat. no. 77
Faille, J.B. de la and A.M. Hammacher, The Works of Vincent van Gogh: His Paintings and Drawings., New York 1970
no. 1500
Wylie, A.S., 'An interpretation of the vocabulary of line in Vincent van Gogh's expression of space' in 'Oud Holland', 1970; 85
pp. 213-18
Novotny, Fritz, Uber das "Elementare" in der Kunstgeschichte und andere Aufsatze, Vienna 1968
pp. 37-45
Anthony Blunt and Philip Troutman, Master Drawings from the Witt and Courtauld Collections, 1962
cat. no. 21
illus. p. 26
Drawings and engravings from the Courtauld Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, Dec. 1959 - Apr. 1960, 1959-1960
cat. no. 23
illus. pl. 5
Impressionistes de la Collection Courtauld de Londres, Orangerie, Paris, 1955
cat. no. 92
Cooper, Douglas, The Courtauld Collection, London 1954
no. 155
illus. pl. 60
Novotny, Fritz, 'Reflections on a drawing by van Gogh' in 'The Art Bulletin', March 1953; XXXV
pp. 35-43
illus. pl. 1 facing p. 36
Faille, J.B. de la, L'oeuvre de Vincent van Gogh: catalogue raisonné., Paris and Brussels 1928
no. 1500
van Gogh, Vincent, Lettres a Bernard, Paris 1911
pl. 68 ...Less
no. 70, pp. 282-283
illus. p. 283
Mantegna to Matisse - Master Drawings from The Courtauld Gallery, Frick Collection, New York and Courtauld Gallery, London London 2012-2013
no. 55 on pp. 244-47
illus. p. 245, detail on p. 246
Van Gogh and Britain, Dean Gallery, Edinburgh, 2006
cat. no. 27 ...More
Van Gogh at Arles, Fondation Van Gogh, Arles, 2003
p. 26
illus. p. 27
The Courtauld Collection: Masterpieces of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, Art Gallery of Ontario, 1998
cat. no. 48
illus. p. 97
Hulsker, Jan, Complete van Gogh. Paintings, drawings, sketches. Revised and enlarged edition of the catalogue raisonne of the works of Vincent van Gogh, Amsterdam and Philadelphia 1996
no. 1373 on p. 308
illus. 1373 on p. 309
John House, Impressionism for England: Samuel Courtauld as Patron and Collector, Courtauld Institute Galleries 1994
no. 80
illus. p. 203
Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Related Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1988
cat. no. 23
illus. front and back covers
The Impressionists and Post-Impressionists from the Courtauld Collection, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Canberra, 1984
cat. no. 99
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
cat. no. 108
illus. p. 110
Drawings from the Courtauld, Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield; Wolverhampton Art Gallery; Bolton Museum and Art Gallery; Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle; Ferens Art Gallery, Hull; Ports, 1977-79
cat. no. 77
Faille, J.B. de la and A.M. Hammacher, The Works of Vincent van Gogh: His Paintings and Drawings., New York 1970
no. 1500
Wylie, A.S., 'An interpretation of the vocabulary of line in Vincent van Gogh's expression of space' in 'Oud Holland', 1970; 85
pp. 213-18
Novotny, Fritz, Uber das "Elementare" in der Kunstgeschichte und andere Aufsatze, Vienna 1968
pp. 37-45
Anthony Blunt and Philip Troutman, Master Drawings from the Witt and Courtauld Collections, 1962
cat. no. 21
illus. p. 26
Drawings and engravings from the Courtauld Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, Dec. 1959 - Apr. 1960, 1959-1960
cat. no. 23
illus. pl. 5
Impressionistes de la Collection Courtauld de Londres, Orangerie, Paris, 1955
cat. no. 92
Cooper, Douglas, The Courtauld Collection, London 1954
no. 155
illus. pl. 60
Novotny, Fritz, 'Reflections on a drawing by van Gogh' in 'The Art Bulletin', March 1953; XXXV
pp. 35-43
illus. pl. 1 facing p. 36
Faille, J.B. de la, L'oeuvre de Vincent van Gogh: catalogue raisonné., Paris and Brussels 1928
no. 1500
van Gogh, Vincent, Lettres a Bernard, Paris 1911
pl. 68 ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: none.
Inscription: Verso: upper left corner, brown ink, artist's hand?: "174".
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Verso: upper left corner, brown ink, artist's hand?: "174".
Collector's mark: none.
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