Two crabs

Painted in 1889, this lively study shows two crabs against a swirling sea-green background. One lies flat on its back, claws raised, while the other rests upright, as if caught in two different moments of the same creature. Vincent van Gogh used bold strokes of orange and red, letting the warm shells pop against the cool green behind them. The thick, energetic brushwork is classic Van Gogh, full of movement even when the subject is something as humble as seafood.

There is a good chance Van Gogh painted this work while recovering at the asylum in Saint-Rémy, a difficult period in his life. He may have been inspired by Japanese prints, which he admired greatly and which often featured animals and sea creatures in simple, striking compositions. Some art historians think he could have copied the crabs from a Japanese illustration rather than working from live animals. Either way, the painting shows his gift for finding beauty and color in ordinary things, turning a pair of crabs into a small burst of life and light.