Vincent van Gogh
"Pair of Shoes," 1887

Van Gogh bought this worn pair of shoes at a flea market in Paris, intending to use them in a still life. But they didn’t seem weathered enough—so before starting the painting, he put them on and walked through the rain for hours. Only then did they become worthy of being painted. During his time in Paris, he created several still lifes featuring this expressive pair of footwear.

“Van Gogh is great because he has the power to dignify even an old pair of boots with his brush.” —Pablo Picasso

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