“Someday even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise.” Vincent van Gogh, he is the immortal painter. However, his immortal fame only came after he ended his difficult and painful 37-year life. Born in the Netherlands in 1853, van Gogh committed suicide by shooting himself on July 29, 1890, and was buried in Auvers-sur-Oise, France. The largest van Gogh exhibition in 12 years is opening in the country.
In 1972, after reading a book about van Gogh’s life, singer Don McLean released the song “Vincent,” which begins with van Gogh’s painting “Starry Night.” The lyrics reflect van Gogh’s struggles and unrecognized efforts during his lifetime. Despite suffering from genetic mental illness, poverty that prevented him from even buying art supplies, and unacknowledged art during his lifetime, van Gogh left behind about 900 paintings and 1,100 sketches in about 10 years, which began to be loved after his death. His life became a legend, and his works a myth, eternally remembered in our hearts.
The van Gogh exhibition being held in the country for the first time in 12 years features original works from the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands, known alongside the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam as a treasure trove of van Gogh’s work. The insurance valuation of the works in this exhibition amounts to a staggering trillion won. One such work, “The Good Samaritan,” a copy of a painting by the French master Eugène Delacroix, painted by van Gogh while fighting in the mental hospital in Saint-Rémy, embodies van Gogh’s artistic spirit.
The exhibition consists of several key periods in van Gogh’s life, including his time in the Netherlands, Paris, Arles, Saint-Rémy, and finally Auvers-sur-Oise. Each period showcases his unique development and the changes in his art style. The narrative structure of this exhibition offers a chronological journey through van Gogh’s life, highlighting major works such as “The Sower,” “The Potato Eaters,” and numerous self-portraits. Among the highlights is the exploration of van Gogh’s relationships with key figures such as his brother Theo, who played a crucial role in his life, and the impactful friendship and eventual fallout with fellow artist Paul Gauguin.
Vincent van Gogh’s works are now among the most appreciated worldwide, however, during his life, he struggled with mental health issues, and he did not sell many of his works. It’s a poignant reminder that his extraordinary legacy was recognized only after his death, culminating in exhibitions such as this, where we celebrate and remember his contributions to art and the world.