Van Gogh Museum

My art class for school has all of the students doing group projects. For the project we have to visit different examples of art, whether it be film, music, sculpture, etc. I pushed my group to visit the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, which houses the world's largest collection of Vincent Van Gogh works (200 paintings, 400 drawings, and 700 letters). I am so, so happy that I made them go. Even if they did get bored half-way through and left me to explore the rest of the museum on my own. 

I learned so much about Van Gogh's life and work. I saw so many paintings that I'd never seen before, and that were so beautiful. Art museums are difficult. You find a painting you like and you want to stay in front of it forever, but at the same time you know there are so many other great things to see. 

The museum worked chronologically, leading us through Van Gogh's life and journey as an artist. The exhibits included paintings of Van Gogh's colleges and inspirations. You could really see the influence other modern artists had on him, and how it helped shape him as an artist. 

I learned so much about Van Gogh that I didn't know before. For example, his close relationship with his brother Theo, who fully supported Van Gogh's work, both emotionally and financially. His fascination and attempt at Japanese style art was also new to me, an interesting insight into what influences great artists. He tried so hard to become a talented artist, and dedicated himself to improvement. From art school, to internships, to exchanging insights with friends and colleges, Van Gogh never stopped trying to better himself as an artist. The museum was filled with portraiture studies and exercises in color, proportion, and shape. He is proof that you do not need to be a prodigy to be a great artist. And inspiration that mental illness does not need to define a person, even if they are an artist. He willingly checked himself into asylum, and wrote often to his relatives about his mental health and how he was trying to improve it. He painted some of his greatest works while undergoing treatment. For example, his "Wheat Field with a Reaper", which he painted from behind bars. I stared at that painting for a long time. I was not aware Van Gogh put so much effort into both his art and mental well-being. He was often very methodical in his work, despite creating it in such high quantities. 

I was also unaware that after shooting himself in the chest, it took him two days for him to die from his injures. He walked himself into the middle of a field (he loved the country side more than any city, and believed it was the true environment of the artist), shot himself, and walked back to his room without anyone noticing. He was, however, eventually discovered and admitted into the hospital. His brother Theo was able to come and be with him in his last moments. Van Gogh made it very clear that his actions were deliberate, and that he did not regret them.

The museum had many letters written by Van Gogh and several members of his family. Reading them was very rewarding. I read one that a friend of Van Gogh's had written after Van Gogh's funeral, describing it to a friend who had been unable to attend. Hearing the eloquent description of a sunflower-covered coffin, laden with Van Gogh's last works, friends surrounding a grave that overlooked a sun-soaked wheat field, it was beautiful. A tragedy. His brother Theo died just half a year later. We are lucky Theo's wife dedicated herself to achieving recognition for Vincent's art. Without her and her son we might not have all of the pieces that we have today. 

Van Gogh's last paintings were some of his largest; beautiful landscapes from the area around him. It is estimated he created 75 paintings in his last 70 days, a remarkable number. I was so glad to see this museum, where I was able to learn more about his life and about the people that contributed to it. Below is the only picture I was able to take in the museum, as they were very strict about their no-photography policy. It's Van Gogh's palette, and some of his paints.