Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette

<p>We're switching things up again today to look at a painting - in this case one of Vincent Van Gogh's most provocative works, <em>Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette. </em>Maggie's got all the historical and academic context ready to go and Cam's got a laundry list of intriguing, baseless ideas - this is still <em>Second Breakfast. </em>We discuss the painting as a commentary / reaction to the art world's constant, endless demands for naturalism, and then look for signs of VGV's process and develop a theory about <em>when </em>the cigarette was added and what that might mean for it's overall message. We think the immediate dark humor of the piece is masking a harsher, more nuanced statement about technique and innovation.</p> <p>High Resolution image: <a href= "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Vincent_van_Gogh_-_Head_of_a_skeleton_with_a_burning_cigarette_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg"> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Vincent_van_Gogh_-_Head_of_a_skeleton_with_a_burning_cigarette_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg</a></p> <p>Instagram: @secondbreakfastpod</p> <p>Feedback: <a href= "mailto:secondbreakfastpod@gmail.com">secondbreakfastpod@gmail.com</a></p>