Art for Art's Sake

Just a brief post to share my recent google image search with you fine folks. While reading Chapterhouse: Dune, and in fact the previous installment of the Dune series as well, I was surprised to find the Vincent Van Gogh painting Cottages at Cordeville come up in the story a few times. Especially considering the story takes place many thousands of years in the future, and five thousand years after the first book.

It also begs the question why Van Gogh is so attractive to science fiction writers, considering the wonderful Doctor Who episode from last year. Is it the pure imagination? The different way of seeing reality? Or, as is the case with the Dune character who loves him, that he reminds of where we came from, and what a human being is capable of? You tell me. Or don't. Either way it's art.