Dad wandered around the town of Arles like a kid in a candy store, stopping and holding his hands, formed into a frame, up to his eyes....he could see what Van Gogh, his hero, saw. He alternated between hooting with glee and openly weeping at the emotions running through him.
This painting is titled "Plaza at Arles," from a photo he took during that time. I believe this to be the beginning of his Van Gogh-influenced pieces.
We were there in 2001, during a 3-week hiatus from my tour with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Mom & Dad came to Europe, and one of our most memorable stops was Arles, a beautiful town deep in Provence, where Van Gogh spent the majority of his time and painted some of his most memorable works.
In fact, Dad, in typical Poole fashion, deviated from The Plan and decided to stay in Provence, to see for himself the landscapes seen by his heroes, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Monet, Manet, etc.
So Mom and I went on to Barcelona. But that's a story for a different day.
Thanks for reading.
Nicole