Factories at Clichy (1887)

"Factories at Clichy" is a painting by Vincent Van Gogh completed in 1887. The artwork depicts an industrial scene, a subject less common in Van Gogh’s primarily pastoral or portrait-focused oeuvre. This particular composition captures the industrial outskirts of Clichy, a suburban area near Paris.In the foreground, we see a vast field, brushstroked vividly in a variety of greens and yellows, suggesting an expanse of grassland illuminated by shifting light, possibly by the sun piercing through cloud cover. This area is painted with Van Gogh’s characteristic dynamic and swirling strokes, contributing to a sense of liveliness and movement despite the industrial backdrop.The middle ground is populated by rows of buildings and factories, distinguished by their colorful yet somewhat muted facades and the multiple tall smokestacks that punctuate the skyline. These chimneys are actively emitting plumes of smoke, indicating the factories are in operation, a visual testament to the era's industrial activity. The smoke disperses into the cloudy sky, mingling with it and blurring the line between the industrial and the natural in the scene.Van Gogh’s use of color in the buildings—subtle oranges, reds, and greens—contrasts with the more vivid colors used in the natural foreground, perhaps pointing to the encroachment of industry upon the natural landscape.