Van Gogh, Vincent - Le Pere Tanguy - art postcard Medici c.1960s

In 1886, Van Gogh left the Netherlands never to return. He moved to Paris to live with his brother Theo, a Parisian art dealer. Vincent entered Paris as a shy, somber man. While his personality would never change, he emerged artistically into what one critic described as a ""singing bird"".^[1] Although Van Gogh had been influenced by great masters in the Netherlands, coming to Paris meant that he was exposed to Impressionists, Symbolists, Pointillists, and Japanese art (seeJaponism). His circle of friends included Camille Pissarro, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Gauguin, Émile Bernard, Paul Signac, and others. The works of the Japanese printmakers Hiroshige and Hokusai greatly influenced Van Gogh, both for the subject matter and the style of flat patterns of colors without shadow. In the two years from 1886 through 1888 he spent working in Paris, Van Gogh explored the various genres, creating his own unique style.^[1]

The brightly colored painting and confident subject represent a shift in Vincent's attitude.^[2][3] Van Gogh called his use of bright colors ""gymnastics"" that through experimentation created great depth, harmony and balance in his work.^[3][4] The painting contains a background of Van Gogh's Japanese prints that were sold at Tanguy's shop.^[3] On top of Tanguy's hat is Mount Fuji;^[3][4] Kabuki actors share the wall with cherry trees in bloom.^[4]

The Japanese paintings represent Van Gogh's search for serenity, which he describes in a letter to his sister during this period, ""Having as much of this serenity as possible, even though one knows little – nothing – for certain, is perhaps a better remedy for all diseases than all the things that are sold at the chemist's shop.""^[2][3] In an effort to capture serenity in his painting, Van Gogh paints Tanguy with a calm, contemplative nature. Historian of Symbolism Naomi Maurer describes him as having the ""iconic tranquility of Buddha.""^[3]

Van Gogh died in 1890, Tanguy died four years after. Following Tanguy's death, his daughter sold the Portrait of Père Tanguy to sculptor Auguste Rodin.^[5] The Portrait of Père Tanguy, previously in Rodin's personal collection, is in the permanent collection at Musée Rodin in Paris.^[6]

Julien François Tanguy (1825 Plédran - 1894 Paris) was a paint grinder, he sold art supplies and was also an art dealer,^[7] one of the first to offer Van Gogh's paintings for sale.^[8] His jovial demeanor and enthusiasm for artistry and artists made his shop one of the most favored art supply shops in Paris, and he was nicknamed Père (""Father"") Tanguy.^[7] Maurer calls Tanguy a father figure who shared his food and money with artists and showed their paintings with pride.^[3]

Tanguy took paintings as payment for paints,^[3][7] which Émile Bernard said made entering his shop in Montmartre, full of Impressionist paintings, like ""visiting a museum"".^[4] In comparison to her husband, Tanguy's wife was less cooperative and more concerned with clientele paying outstanding charges.^[4] When Tanguy died, his friends staged an auction for his widow.^[7]

Octave Mirbeau wrote a notice about him in L'Écho de Paris on 13 February 1894.^[9]