The encounter between Van Gogh and Polke at the Vincent van Gogh Foundation in Arles reveals unexpected yet tangible links, particularly through the motif of the potato. For Vincent, this tuber symbolizes the connection to the nourishing earth, the labor of farmers, and the meals of the poor, while for Sigmar, the potato symbolizes the “unglamorous” everyday life of post-war Germany, in contrast to the colorful American pop art that glorifies the new world of consumerism. As different as Van Gogh and Polke may seem, they share a positive temperament, imbued with a deep humanism, as well as a desire to escape the norms of mainstream art.