Saint-Paul Asylum, Saint-Rémy, Provence, France

Judy Benda - Vincent van Gogh's Inspiration

During a European tour in 2011, Judy and Pete traveled to the Provence region of south eastern France. They visited Saint-Rémy and more specifically Saint-Paul Asylum where van Gogh committed himself after his famous ear episode in nearby Arles. He resided here for about a year which was one of his most productive periods, inspired by the gardens and the surrounding countryside.  The beautifully framed photo above was an attempt by Judy to capture some of the magic seen by the artist.  The mountains in the background are part of the Chaîne des Alpilles, the bare rocks rising prominently above the lush growth in the foreground with a touch of blooming lavender. To view van Gogh’s interpretation of these mountains (with olive trees), click here. Close the new tab or window to return here. Another painting during his stay at Saint-Paul is Starry Night.

Judy’s camera was the Canon Powershot SD890 IS with a focal length of 20.423 mm, a shutter speed of 1/400 sec and an aperture of f/5.0. The ISO was a low 80.