| This paper proposes the idea that "constructive repetition" was an important part of Vincent van Gogh's creativity. The notion of constructive repetition, as it applies to van Gogh, refers to his repeating and varying a concept from work to work with the intention of seeking the best form of expression. The notion of constructive repetition builds on the research of Kurt Lewin (1935), Jean Piaget (1963, 1970, 1976), and Howard Gruber (1976). The theme of constructive repetition as conceived by Gruber was extended to van Gogh's thinking in this dissertation.; Three original methods of analyses were designed for this study and applied to each of the three groups of van Gogh's work. First, "line simplification" diagrams were devised to reveal the artist's intentions for line and form. Second, "logistics" charts were utilized to determine intentions regarding the use of materials and the development of technique. Third, "part/whole" analyses were performed to assess the internal structures of van Gogh's production.; The major conclusion of this study is that repetition with constructive variation played a vital and prominent role in van Gogh's creating. He was a tireless worker who learned his skills in an intentional, planful fashion. The construction of early skills was a necessary foundation for his subsequent, better-known production. His creation of novelty entailed a carefully evolved dialectic of thought and work in which he achieved a fruitful balance between stability and change. A stabilizing framework with layers of meaning was intentionally maintained within which elements of novelty and change could be introduced at an appropriate rate. The layers of van Gogh's stabilizing framework consisted of philosophic intent, themes of technique. Van Gogh's early development consisted of his carefully planned intentions for form, technique and composition in his work.; Van Gogh's constructive repetition of themes in groups indicates his ability to coordinate parallel complexities. He developed separate groups simultaneously and integrated these efforts into an organized, coherent style based on a unique approach to technique, form and composition. |
