I know little about art, but I know what I like, and I like “First Steps” by Vincent Van Gogh. It is beautiful, serene and cozy, and so genuine I can smell the dirt and feel the breeze and the sunshine on my neck and hear the tiny buzz of insects.
But what moves me about the painting is the family.
The faceless father wears the practical clothes of a laborer. He is in his field, at his task, surrounded by the tools of his trade. He is not at the beginning of the garden, nor the end. He is in the middle, his job well-begun but not complete.
The faceless mother, wearing identical work clothes, also has been busy but is not quite finished with her job.
The faceless child, the focus of the painting, is the focus of their lives. Their work is important, but not so important that they don’t take necessary time for the child.
Everything in the painting reminds me that we must work, we must work well, but we must not forget that our best work is not at our jobs.
