Red Cabbages and Onions

Vincent van Gogh chose a simple subjet for this painting: some onions and a few red cabbages. For him, this still life was primarily a study in colour contrasts. Van Gogh placed the yellow of the onions against a purple background. These complementary colours reinforced each other. Yet the colours in this painting have changed over time. The tablecloth is now greyish-blue but was orginally purple. That formed a strong contrast with the yellow of the onions and of the right upper background.