1882–1885: The minister and the painter

Nuenen: Vincent painted the Reformed Church in Nuenen as a gift for his mother. The painting remained in her possession until her death. His mother was confined to bed following a fall: she had broken her leg and was unable to visit the church herself. His father served as minister here from August 1882 until his death on 26 March 1885.

Since his dismissal as an evangelist in the Belgian mining region of the Borinage, Vincent no longer felt connected to his father’s church. This often led to arguments that could sometimes become quite heated. Following his father’s sudden death, the painter managed to capture the essence of their disagreement in a simple still life featuring his father’s Bible and Émile Zola’s *La Joie de vivre* (*The Joy of Life*), which he himself had read to tatters.