Vincent van Gogh: His Life in Art, an exhibition showcasing the artists life from his early sketches to his final paintings, opens this Sunday, March 10 and continues until June 27, 2019. There are few artists that have left behind such a complete account of their life and works as Vincent van Gogh whose short life as an artists, only a decade, created 850 paintings and 1,000+ sketches.
This major collaboration is with the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam and the Kroller-Muller Museum, Otterlo, two museums that hold the largest collections in the world of Van Gogh’s works, and have lent several pieces to Houston. There are also significant works traveling to MFAH from Musee d’Orsay, Paris; Art Institute of Chicago; Dallas Museum of Art and many other museums and private collections.
So interesting in looking at this exhibition of such a famous artist as Van Gogh was the fact that since his life-span as an artist was so brief, he only painted from the age of 27 until his death at 37, he never achieved fame in his lifetime. He only sold one of his paintings for 400fr when it was noted that his paintings have since sold for 63 million francs. What is amazing is how hard he worked, after deciding through the insistence of his brother, Theo, to try his hand at being an artist. He felt that he had to learn painting first by mastering the ability to draw. In fact, you will see that the artist who is so famously remembered for his use of color began drawing mostly in black and only when he moved to Paris from his Dutch village of Neunen did he begin to appreciate and use color. It was also in Paris that he was exposed to the Impressionists and most significantly there he first learned to look in the mirror and began his self-portraits……at 27 self-portraits, he produced more than any other artist.
“This exhibition will offer visitors a vivid portrait of Van Gogh’s evolution as an artist,” commented MFAH Director Gary Tinterow. Also, as noted by David Bomford, curator of the exhibition and chair, Department of Conservatioin, and Audrey Jones Beck Curator, Department of European Art, MFAH, “the popular story of Van Gogh has tended to focus on his last few years and death, but there is a rich and complex narrative that starts much earlier, one that is defined by Van Gogh’s tremendous drive to become an artist.” That last comment of his drive and work to becoming an artist was something that I found most interesting.
Highlights of the exhibition for me were: the opening room that creatively illustrates an overview of the artist’s life and work. The exhibit is skillfully categorized chronilogically from his early days of becoming an artist in Nuenen from 1883-1885, where he studied and learned to masterfully portray rural life to his move to join his brother in Paris where he was exposed to fellow artists, became aware of Impressionism and the use of color. He then moved on to Arles where he created a series of landscapes and vibrant portraits. He then moved on to Sait-Remy and Auvers, where, after his infamous ear-cutting experience and dealing with the aftermath, in 1889, he was feeling it difficult to cope with life. There he committed himself to a hospital where he continued to work until he took his own life in 1890. It has been recorded that he shot himself, survived for one night until his brother Theo arrived to be at his side. Theo, who was in poor health, died within a year and they are buried side-by-side.
In conclusion…..today’s the day it all starts at Museum of Fine Arts Houston for this outstanding showcase of one of the world’s most popular artists…..don’t miss this one! For more details and info please click on mfah.org.