Still Life with Earthenware and Bottles was one of several still life paintings that Van Gogh made while exploring the still life genre. Van Gogh experimented with the use of contrasting colors to intensify the impact of his paintings. In this case he paired the green of the bottles against a reddish-brown earthenware pot. The painting is set against a dark background with the effect of making the inside of the bowl made in muted colors appear white.