Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh: a star is born

Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh is an international star attraction of Holland’s art scene. Born in the Dutch province of North Brabant on 30 March 1853, the post-impressionist artist famously struggled to attain the artistic success he yearned for. He sold just a few paintings in his lifetime, though it shouldn’t be forgotten that he traded many works with other artists, as well as in exchange for food or art supplies. In total, he produced around 900 paintings and more than 1,000 drawings and etchings, many of which have since become ingrained in art history, inspiring people all over the world. Today, Holland is the pathway to the heart of Van Gogh’s oeuvre, not only as a means to view these artworks, but to follow in his footsteps around the Netherlands.

Internationally renowned museum collections

 Ideal starting points to delve into the life and work of Vincent van Gogh are two of Holland’s most popular art museums. The Van Gogh Museum opened its doors in Amsterdam in 1973 and is the largest private collection of his famous artworks. It also shares decades of research into his artistic evolution, travels and relationships thanks to hundreds of personal letters and scientific studies. The Kröller-Müller Museum in the Hoge Veluwe National Park showcases a fantastic art collection featuring some 300 works by Van Gogh. Amassed during the early 1900s and enthusiastically exhibited, the attention Helene Kröller-Müller brought to the late Van Gogh in this period undoubtedly helped to set in motion his transformation into the world-renowned artist we now know.

Trace Vincent van Gogh’s life and work through Holland

 To truly understand Vincent van Gogh, it’s essential to look beyond the canvas. Step out into the Dutch countryside, villages and cities that influenced his life and work. In the south of Holland, the quaint village of Nuenen is an essential stop. Van Gogh moved here in 1883 to live with his parents, shortly before moving to France, and it was here he produced monumental paintings like ‘The Potato Eaters’ (1885). Today, the Van Gogh Village Nuenen is dedicated to his artistic endeavors and offers a memorable audio-visual experience. In his birthplace of Zundert, the Vincent van GoghHuis invites you to learn more about the artist’s early life, while in nearby Tilburg, you can experience where the 13-year-old boy took his first drawing classes. Het Noordbrabants Museum is another impressive art institution to show his work in dedicated exhibition spaces. To best experience the natural and artistic charms of North Brabant, explore Van Gogh’s Holland by bike, taking the time to experience the landscapes and villages that helped shape the artist’s inimitable view of the world.