The Real Van Gogh: The Artist and His Letters
By STAN PARCHIN
August 8, 2009
Post-Impressionist Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) and his voluminous correspondence are the subjects of The Real Van Gogh: The Artist and His Letters at the Royal Academy of Arts in Winter and early Spring 2010. The ticketed exhibition of 35 fragile letters, 65 paintings and 30 drawings is the first British presentation devoted to the Dutch master in over 40 years.
Lenders to the RA's show include: the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam; the Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; the Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.; the National Gallery, London; and private collections worldwide.
The Real Van Gogh... examines the artist’s paintings and drawings from the fascinating perspective of his letters and their sketches. In van Gogh's intimate correspondence, the visitor gains a greater understanding of his powerful intellect, mental state and artistic process. Color in painting, nature's cycles, friendship, religion and literature are the show's main themes. Among the show's highlights are Self-portrait as an Artist (1888), The Yellow House (1888), Vincent's Chair with His Pipe (1888), Entrance to the Public Park in Arles (1888) and Still-life: Drawing Board with Onions (1889).
The exhibition celebrates Thames & Hudson's October 8, 2009 release of Vincent van Gogh – The Letters: The Complete Illustrated and Annotated Edition. Incorporating 15 years of research, the six-volume work, published in Dutch, French and English, costs £325. It features transcriptions and reproductions of some 800 letters with scholarly commentary. The contents will also be available online for free.
"The Real Van Gogh: The Artist and His Letters" is at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, England from January 23 to April 18, 2010.
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