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Vincent van Gogh. Portrait of Armand Roulin (The Yellow Jacket), 1888. 65x54cm. Folkwang Museum, Essen, Germany. |
"Enough!" the artist said, stepped back, loaded his brush with green, laid on a few more strokes, and flopped into a chair with a loud sigh.
Armand looked at the painting and gasped. The jacket wasn't wheat-colored at all. It was yellow, pure, shocking yellow, like the light of the cafe. He was facing forward this time, and his own eyes looking straight back at him showed that he was thinking of Jacqueline, that he wouldn't have her, that Gustave would, but in the rake of his hat he saw the tremendous, unlimited possibilities before him. It was true. Everything was yet to be done. He straightened himself and stood squarely in front of the painting. A man who'd cock his hat like that and wear a jacket that yellow was a man afraid of nothing.