The Bedroom is a famous painting created by Vincent van Gogh in 1888. The artwork depicts the interior of Van Gogh’s own bedroom, located in the “Yellow House” in Arles, France. The painting is a study of the simple, rustic beauty of everyday life and has an undeniable wabisabiness.
Wabi-sabi is a Japanese aesthetic that embraces the beauty of imperfection, transience, and incompleteness. It is an appreciation of the natural world, of things that are unrefined, weathered, and aged. The Bedroom embodies these principles in several ways.
Firstly, the painting’s subject matter is humble and ordinary. Van Gogh did not choose to paint a grand or majestic scene, but rather his own bedroom, complete with a simple bed, a pair of chairs, a washstand, and a window overlooking the street. The room is sparsely furnished, and the walls and floor are worn and marked, suggesting a certain amount of use and wear over time. This unassuming, unpretentious subject matter is a hallmark of wabi-sabi.
Secondly, the painting’s composition is unbalanced and asymmetrical. The bed is positioned at an angle, and the walls and floor are slightly skewed, creating a sense of movement and dynamism. The painting’s rough, brushy texture further enhances this sense of spontaneity and imperfection. Van Gogh’s bold, expressive style is a perfect example of wabi-sabi’s appreciation for the beauty of the imperfect.
Thirdly, the painting’s use of color is simple and subdued. The dominant color is a soft, pale blue-green, which conveys a sense of calm and tranquility. The other colors in the painting – the warm, earthy browns of the floor and furniture, the bright, contrasting red of the bedspread – are muted and restrained. This understated use of color is another hallmark of wabi-sabi, which values simplicity and restraint over ostentatiousness and excess.
Finally, The Bedroom is a study of the passage of time. The worn, marked walls and floor suggest a certain amount of use and age, while the simple, rustic furniture has a timeless quality that transcends fads and trends. This appreciation of the transience of life is a key element of wabi-sabi, which values things that are impermanent and fleeting.
In conclusion, The Bedroom by Van Gogh is a perfect example of wabisabiness. Its unassuming subject matter, asymmetrical composition, understated use of color, and appreciation of the passage of time all embody the principles of wabi-sabi. The painting is a celebration of the simple, rustic beauty of everyday life and a testament to the enduring power of imperfection and transience.
The New Renaissance Mindset 