Prompt: Works i find impressive

I saw this work at an exhibit of Van Gogh's works in Philadelphia. The theme of the show was Van Gogh Up Close-- much of what was shown were studies or close-ups, and many were works I hadn't yet seen before.

This was one of my favorites of the exhibit, though it was a rather small painting. All of the works shown were very impressive and had a presence that came from layers of thick paint built up. Van Gogh paintings look like frosted cakes, the painting gets so thick, but it isn't traditional Impasto either; the works are built up with individual strokes. Literally thick lines of color, which in their layering make the image as it is finally seen. That's one of the things about Van Gogh's work which I have tried to absorb in my own practice.

This small painting was impressive for that physical presence from layered paint, and also because it's treated seriously despite being a small study. Attention was paid to this little painting, despite the fact that it was little. I also enjoy the composition, with the leaves forming so many directions, and the light outlining visible in most of the shapes. Van Gogh was not holding to any extant rules for How A Painting Is Done or How We Draw. Also, I think the moth is beautifully rendered and attracts a lot of attention.

Art can be impressive in many ways, but the unifying feature of all works I find to be impressive is the attention paid by the person who made it, how seriously it's taken. This work, Emperor Moth, is just a study, but Van Gogh treated it as seriously as he did his large paintings, and thus it's impressive despite it's smaller size. I also tend to find works that have a lot of color or intelligent use of color to be especially impressive.

Citations:
Vincent Van Gogh, Great Peacock Moth, 1889. Oil. 33.5cm x 24.5cm. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. Accessed 9/6/2014; http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WLANL_-_artanonymous_-_Nachtpauwoog.jpg