Professional Documents
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Repsonse 3
Repsonse 3
Repsonse 3
Ja’Niayah Ellis
Professor Diehl
Human Experience
19 February 2024
The painting I want to discuss for my reading response will be The Almond Tree
precisely because it caught my eye and was one of the most beautiful works we looked at in
class. I loved implementing the light blue sky with the white blooming flowers. The colors
represent such a vibrant matter versus other paintings we discussed. It has a brighter and more
positive energy, making it lively. In class, we examined how the painting was a gift to his
newest-born nephew. Nature was used as a source of inspiration for it. The story that Vincent
was trying to tell was his interpretation of New Beginnings with Progress to be still made. The
One thing that stood out to me was the flowers. When you look closely, you can see little specs
of red/pinkish color on the flowers that haven’t wholly bloomed to their fullest potential as fully
grown flowers. To me, the whiteness of the flowers is also a form of purity. The painting tries to
tell a story about how a new life is forming, which could be in honor of his nephew and himself.
But there are little symbols, such as the unbloomed flowers and the structure of the branches, that
show that growth is still needed ahead and we aren’t at our best selves just yet. The picture
depicts hope and happiness in a new life but is also a reminder that we have to continue to move
forward to see the final results. The character that I think of in this painting is Vincent himself. It
is a symbiotic form of him participating in the art. As most of his paintings discuss or display his
feelings, this one explains and visualizes where he wants to end up and solemnly become. I don’t
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think he is heartbroken; I feel he is pleased overall. The painting is celebrating so much new life
and certainty. This was also a turning point in his life, being free to go out in nature while
suffering from his illness. But at the same time, I think there is a bit of doubt within the branches
and the blooming flowers in progress. Overall, my depiction of the painting just represents so