Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1889 © Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania (detail)

First visit booked Monday 23rd September 2024, 2:30pm. Then weekly until 4th November.

Booked 12th November - 3rd December, Tuesdays at 10:30am.

View of Arles, 1889
oil on canvas
Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen - Neue Pinakothek, Munich
(detail)

Enclosed Wheat Field with Peasant
Saint-Rémy: early October, 1889
oil on canvas
Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields
Gift of James W Fesler
(detail)

The Poet's Garden
(Public Garden in Arles), 1888
oil on canvas
(detail)

The Poet's Garden (detail)

A first visit to the exhibition on Monday 23rd of September and it was very busy.

There were often six people deep waiting to move in and briefly view the paintings. I found that viewing from the side and not getting in the way suited my purposes very well as often the paintings had the most lyrical passages away from the center of the compositions anyway.

The lighting often meant that the clear view was to one side as well.

I have picked a few details to show here and I will undoubtedly use my Monday bookings through to 4th November in full.

I found that the initial impact of the exhibition was somewhat overwhelming, not least because I could identify so closely with the 'vision' and handling of the paint by the artist. It was quite a 'homecoming' in that respect and did bring on an emotional response, I have to admit!

Another visit Monday 21st October and a similar detail to the previous one but using a DSLR rather than a phone camera!

A further detail from The Poet's Garden.

Second visit, Monday 30th September.

I arrived more or less 'on time' at 2:30pm and found that the number of visitors was similar to the first visit. There is however a noticeable surge at the beginning of a timed entry so the crowds dissipate beyond the initial rooms and there is a chance to go back into less crowded spaces.

I quite quickly found myself drawn to a small number of the paintings feeling less overwhelmed by the exhibition.

The Poet's Garden
(Public Garden in Arles), October 1888
oil on canvas
73 x 92 cm
Private Collection

Monday 21st October using a DSLR rather than a phone camera!

28/10/2024 Proofing the DSLR images it was clear that the colour rendition was actually much more accurate.

View of Arles, detail

View of Arles, detail

View of Arles, Flowering Orchards
1889
oil on canvas
72 x 92 cm
Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen - Neue Pinakothek, Munich

The tops of many of the paintings are lost in the framing shadow. The frames are often heavy and gilded which makes looking quite hard work even without the tastefully chosen wall colours throughout the exhibition!

I did not initially 'see' the canal in the foreground of the View of Arles, just noticed the 'flat' rendition.

Third visit, Monday 7th October.

It was very busy, maybe because it is Frieze Week in London so the 'Artworld' is in attendance!

I did however get a good look at a small number of the paintings making a determined stand usually after having first 'snapped' an image for reference!

Vincent's House is one of the paintings where there are passages where the paint does get some 'space' to breathe without all over impasto. I will have to check the reflection line in the sky as in this image!

Vincent's House in Arles (The Yellow House) 1888
oil on canvas
72 x 91.5 cm
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

The Poet's Garden
(Public Garden in Arles), October 1888
oil on canvas
73 x 92 cm
Private Collection

View of Arles, Flowering Orchards
1889
oil on canvas
72 x 92 cm
Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen - Neue Pinakothek, Munich

The framing is inevitably 'challenging' and I have not quite figured out the wall colours yet but needless to say they must have an impact on perception of the paintings.

I get the feeling that the artist often painted himself into a corner, loading paint onto the surface to the point that it could not take any more and the definition of colour was lost in the impasto.

Field with Poppies
Saint-Rémy: early June, 1889
oil on canvas
71 x 91 cm
Kunsthalle Bremen

Enclosed Wheat Field with Peasant
Saint-Rémy: early October, 1889
oil on canvas
73.5 x 92 cm
Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields
Gift of James W Fesler

I am aware that there is an underlying influence of Japanese imagery even in the more straightforward landscape paintings and that there is a 'switch' between flat paint and heavy impasto which has considerable significance. I am curious to find out more about the occasional 'washed over' appearance in some of the paintings.

Fourth visit, Monday 14th October.

It was busy again, maybe not quite so many people as last week.

I had not noticed the high inscription previously.

Vincent's House in Arles (The Yellow House) 1888
oil on canvas
72 x 91.5 cm
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

The reflection of the ceiling is not visible in the sky in this shot.

There may be some underlying issues with the canvas but the iPhone image is not sufficiently focused. The colours are difficult to name and there is often not much definition of boundaries.

The realisation of figures is often dependant upon the fluidity of the paint so the lightest touch has to be sufficient.

The Public Park at Arles
Arles: October, 1888
oil on canvas
72 x 93 cm
Private collection

I keep returning to this painting wondering about the depiction of the central green fir tree. Somehow it appears more 'leaf' like than a volumetric depiction. I am also aware that the three light vertical tree trunks are somewhat ephemeral.

The seated figures and the single figure approaching a 'bench seat' are quite solid by comparison. I was initially attracted to the palette and fluid paint handling in the foreground of the painting.

The Bedroom
Saint-Rémy: early September, 1889
oil on canvas
73.6 x 92.3 cm
The Art Institute Chicago

I had initially been attracted to the paintings with clearly delineated strokes but was aware that the flatter painted elements related to a Japanese influence. There is a partial crossover in this painting as well as some quite strange palette choices again.

The floor and the door on the right are quite striking in this respect.
There is a sense, elsewhere in the painting that the strokes of paint are 'almost objective' and take on the value of the object depicted.

Vincent's Chair with His Pipe
Arles: December, 1888
oil on canvas
93 x 73.5 cm
National Gallery, London

The wall colour behind this painting looks fairly neutral in this image but it is in fact a blue value that is almost repeated in the painting. This curatorial decision does make me wish for a more neutral environment but obviously one still has the framing to contend with. I am used to 'ignoring' the framing and this exhibition has its share of visual monstrosities.

This painting appears to be on a course 'canvas' and the original tacking edge appears on the upper left as if the canvas was out of square when initially painted.

The Bridge at Trinquetaille
Arles: June, 1888
oil on canvas
65 x 81 cm
Private collection

I noticed the palette of this painting and then saw the partially formed figure in the foreground. There is something about the overall composition, apart from the bridge reference which may bear further consideration.

Enclosed Field with Ploughman
Saint-Rémy: late August, 1889
oil on canvas
49 x 62 cm

Private collection.

The first image suggests that the wall is painted a neutral colour as with Vincent's Chair.

Mountains at Saint-Rémy with Dark Cottage
Saint-Rémy: July, 1889
oil on canvas
71.8 x 90.8 cm
New York: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Justin K. Thannhauser Collection

I am not sure that the palette and paint handling in this composition are entirely convincing but will look again in due course.