Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Vincent van Gogh/archive1


 * The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was not promoted 16:31, 31 March 2007.

Vincent van Gogh
Came across this a few days ago. Made a few minor edits and I just can't belive it hasn't been nominated yet. Buc 08:29, 24 March 2007 (UTC)


 * Comments:
 * "There he not only studied anatomy, but the standard rules of modelling and perspective, all of which, he said, "you have to know just to be able to draw the least thing." Vincent wished to become an artist while in God's service as he stated, "to try to understand the real significance of what the great artists, the serious masters, tell us in their masterpieces, that leads to God; one man wrote or told it in a book; another in a picture." This quote is uncited.
 * "The theory behind this also stresses the value of complementary colours in proximity—for example, blue and orange—as such pairings enhance the brilliance of each colour by a physical effect on the receptors in the eye." I would think a citation here is also needed.
 * This is basic theory and widely known and accepted. Tyrenius 01:20, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

I think the article is on a good track, but it needs further imrovements. Therefore, I will not object yet, and give the opportunity to the nominator to further upgrade it.--Yannismarou 09:13, 24 March 2007 (UTC)
 * "In June he visited Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. He gave drawing lessons to a Zouave second lieutenant, Paul-Eugène Milliet, who also became a companion. MacKnight introduced him to Eugène Boch, a Belgian painter, who stayed at times in Fontvieille (they exchanged visits in July). Gauguin agreed to join him in Arles. In August he painted sunflowers; Boch visited again." Choppy prose or is it just my impression?
 * "Van Gogh cut off the ear lobe on one of his ears during some sort of seizure on December 23, 1888[citation needed]." A citation has been requested here. These tags must be fixed before the article gets FA.
 * "Wheat Field with Crows—an example of the unusual double square canvas-size he used in the last weeks of his life—with its turbulent intensity is often, but mistakenly, thought to be Van Gogh's last work (Jan Hulsker lists seven paintings after it)." Why don't you make a proper citation here with page number?
 * "Theo hastened to be at his side and reported his last words as "La tristesse durera toujours" (French for "(the) sadness will last forever"). Another important quote needing citing. And why in italics?
 * "Diagnoses which have been put forward include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, syphilis, poisoning from swallowed paints, temporal lobe epilepsy and acute intermittent porphyria." What sources report these diagnoses?
 * "It has also been suggested that Van Gogh suffered from the brain disorder, Hypergraphia. The disorder causes a near constant overwhelming urge to write and is associated with epilepsy or mania." This is one of the few one-sentence paragraphs you have in the article. Per MoS it is recommended that such sentences are merged or expanded.
 * "Van Gogh drew and painted water-colours, while he went to school, though very few of these works survive, and his authorship is challenged for many claimed to be from this period." What works are challenged, and who challenged them?
 * "Nowadays they are appreciated as his first masterpieces." This may be generally acceptable, but I would like some sources.
 * You mention all his notable works (or almost all) in the previous sections, so I don't really understand the necessity of "Notable works". For mentioning the museum in Amsterdam? But is this a reason strong enough for the creation of a stubby section?
 * "Legacy" needs prose improvement. All these short, stubby paragraphs make it look listy and seamless.
 * Fix note 4.
 * Check all your inline citations; some of them are before the pun.mark or with a gap after the pun.mark.

Overall I like the article, it is very good. However I'd like much more clarity about Vincent's posthumous success. How did this happen? What role did Vincent's family play after the two brothers died? How did publishing the letters affect the fate of the paintings? What role did Lust for Life and Hollywood play in Vincent's towering position as an artist? I recommend John Rewald Studies in Post-Impressionism, published by Abrams in 1986, the essay The posthumous fate of Vincent van Gogh in particular. An eye opener. Modernist 22:21, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

**Lead a tad too long. The para on Theo borders on POV, and should be much shorter **"bringing his father's profession to some of the most wretched and hopeless people in Europe. " -- pov. rephrase. **Etten: "Stricker had earlier tutored Vincent in biblical criticism in his attempt to gain entrance to a university to study theology, " -- this info is being repeated here. In general, work needed on the "Compelling prose" requirement.--ppm 23:45, 24 March 2007 (UTC)
 * Comments
 * Early life: the first para is not well written. Starting with the birth of Van gogh, in the middle, it suddenly becomes a description of family lineage.
 * "The rate charged by the hotel was 5 francs a week, which Van Gogh regarded as excessive. He disputed the price, and took the case to the local arbitrator who awarded him a twelve franc reduction on his total bill[55] (the weekly rate being reduced from five francs to four)." -- not clear where this takes us. Why is this interesting?


 * Object. Good, but there are outstanding citation requests as well as paragraphs/long sections missing citations. 'Legacy' and 'notable works' section don't have a single reference.--Piotr Konieczny aka Prokonsul Piotrus 02:58, 25 March 2007 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.