Van Gogh’s Barn Owl Drawings

Sometime between April to September of 1887 Van Gogh created two barn owl drawings from pencil, pen, and blue ink.  In February of 1886, Van Gogh moved to Paris and lived with his brother Theo in Montmartre, an artists’ quarter.  In Paris Van Gogh was exposed to the Impressionists, their use of light, and themes involving the country.  By 1887, Van Gogh had become friends with a number of young artists, was envisioning a harmonious and artistic community, and was organizing art shows at a local Paris restaurant.  It was during his time in Paris that he began to take new approaches to his art.  His palette became lighter and his brushstrokes more broken, like those of the Impressionists.   During this experimental time of growth is when Barn Owl Viewed from the Front and Barn Owl Viewed from the Side were created.