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... a mountain landscape. Two travelers...
Ravine
Ravine
Oil on canvas, Saint-Remy, France
In 1889, Vincent Van Gogh found himself - as he noted to a friend describing the scene - "working in wild places". With his easel between stones at the foot of a ravine in Southern France, Vincent noted that working in these places was even fun, partly because it required one to dig into the dirt, "lest the wind should blow the whole caboodle over."
He painted this same scene twice, the first of which hangs in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Two travelers are seen climbing from the wild tangles of a ravine to the higher places of a mountain ridge.
This thoughtful capture caught the eye of fellow painter Paul Gaugin, arguably the man whose critique held the deepest weight for Vincent. "There is one I'd like to trade with you for one of mine of your choice... The one I am talking about is a mountain landscape. Two travelers, very small, seem to be climbing there in search of the unknown... Here and there, red touches like the lights, the whole in a violet tone. It is beautiful and grandiose."
In the traditional liturgical calendar, violet signifies the periods of Lent and Advent, seasons of reflection, preparation, and anticipation culminating in the pivotal celebrations of Easter and Christmas. These periods are often a call - to those who follow - for disciplined assessment, deep listening, communal attention, and expectant hope of what lies ahead.
Violet Tone Strategy is rooted in moments like these - where having someone call out what is beautiful from an external place can be strategic and timely. Where digging in to the chaos of a wild place for a time can bring about a new way of seeing, and a creative work that outlives its originators. Where the company of a fellow traveler helps make reaching high places not just possible, but real. Where intentional seasons of partnership and practice can position for impact and longevity.
© 2026 Violet Tone Strategy, LLC. All rights reserved. Photo credit: Mariangela Quiroga
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