I think it’s important that we discuss and preserve art, especially now, with the current technocratic and transhumanist push to destroy tradition, culture and history.
At the invitation of my friend Thierry Baudet, my wife and I visited the Netherlands in October 2023 and, while we were there, had the pleasure of being taken on a private tour of the Van Gogh Museum by art historian Florentine Mol.
Let me state for the record that I have no idea if the exhibited art is real or duplicates (for the sake of security). The fact that I could get so close does make me wonder. Nevertheless, none of this diminishes the beautiful experience.
Van Gogh—whom many affectionately refer to as Vincent—was born in 1853 in the pastoral Netherlands. His formative years were shaped by farm life, yet he did not pursue formal art education, instead discovering his passion for painting after a series of unsuccessful jobs.
His dedication to art was bolstered by his brother Theo’s unwavering belief in him.
In fact, Theo was the patron of Vincent’s art, providing financial support throughout his tumultuous career, during which, unbelievably, he only sold one painting.
To be fair, he didn’t start painting until he was 27 and died at 37, so he was an arist for 10 years. Plus, the paintings that became famous were done after he moved to France in 1888—just 2 years before he died.
Still, selling only one painting in 10 years must have been soul-destroying.
I’m aware of a few theories claiming he sold more, but they’re hard to verify, and the museum acknowledges this too.
Museum tour
Getting a ticket to the Van Gogh Museum proved challenging, as it was completely booked for the coming months. Fortunately, my wife found the details of Florentine Mol, an art historian who offers private tours of the museum.
⚠️ If you’re in Amsterdam, I highly recommend contacting her.
We were impressed by her extensive knowledge and engaging style, which transformed our journey through Vincent’s life into an exceptionally interesting experience. Simply looking at his art without context means missing out on so much.
It sounds a bit generic, but the point is that having a private tour is far superior to being in a group.
And yes, this insight holds true for all art.
A lot of art
Over the course of his ten-year career, Vincent produced approximately 2,100 artworks, with around 860 being oil paintings.
While many artists, such as Pablo Picasso, have a more extensive portfolio, what distinguishes Vincent’s oeuvre is that the majority of his work was created in the final two years of his life.
While the Van Gogh Museum is home to the largest collection of his works in the world, it does not house all of it. Some of his pieces are scattered across a few countries, held by various private collectors and public institutions. Some are in other museums, such as the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
For example, The Starry Night has been in the MoMA since 1941.
Part of the reason some of Vincent’s art isn’t in Amsterdam is due to his obscurity during his lifetime. I mean, nobody really knew him or his work, and he was a bit of an oddball. Some of his art was sold or given away before it become famous and his estate isn’t interested in fighting to have all of it returned to Amsterdam.
Also, some pieces are constantly on loan to exhibitions around the world.
How did he die?
On 27 July 1890, Vincent shot himself in the chest with a revolver. He survived the initial injury but died two days later.
At least, that’s the official story.
Interestingly, the museum recognises an alternative theory, which is the possibility that Vincent’s death might have been accidental. However, as Florentine notes, the likelihood of suicide seems greater when one considers the dark story of his life.
Adding to the tragedy, Vincent’s brother, Theo, died a few months later and was buried beside Vincent. Neither brother lived to witness the future fame that Vincent’s art would eventually attract.
He is now one of the most prolific artists in history.
Podcast
I know you’re not supposed to say it out loud, but he was a pretty rubbish artist.
Nevertheless, he is one my all-time favourites and was definitely quite punk rock for his time.
I would rather die of passion than of boredom.
Vincent van Gogh
