A Quantitative Approach to Multimodality: An Application to the Creative Process of Van Gogh

Abstract

The paper proposes a quantitative approach to analyzing a “strong” form of multimodality, based on the co-emergence of a key connecting element in different modes of data. It provides a methodological template for the simultaneous analysis of visual and verbal data, which is applied to the domain of creativity. We expand the possibilities for analyzing creativity as a process by drawing on the “Janusian” tradition, using opposition as the key connecting element between the verbal and visual modes. The research context is the creative process of Vincent Van Gogh (1881–1890), as reflected in his letters and paintings. The visual analysis attests to the growing presence of contrast of complementary colors, while the textual analysis provides evidence for increasing affective, cognitive, and behavioral ambivalence. The results corroborate the validity of the method by demonstrating the co-emergence of visual and verbal opposition over time. The method can be used for purposes of exploration or validation. It has broad applications in organizational scholarship.