Travel on the Steps of Vincent van Gogh

One of the most controversial and misunderstood masters in art history was the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. His short life was a constant struggle with madness and sparkles of genius. Van Gogh was born in 1853, in Groot-Zundert, Holland. Any tourist that wishes to discover the steps of the great painter should start here. Although the house where he was born does not exist anymore, a new one was built and now it houses a small museum and exhibition with some of his masterpieces. Another attraction of the town is the Van Gogh church, where he was baptized… A very unbalanced person, Vincent did not go towards art from the beginning. He tried many other jobs, including one of a preacher in a Belgian mining district. He was soon dismissed, but he remained in Belgium to study art. His first paintings showed a somber toned style, the best being The Potato Eaters. The house where he stayed is hosting a small museum in his honor. In 1886, van Gogh went to Paris and began studying further the French artists.

He also met the Impressionist painters, like Monet or Gauguin and he adopted some of their techniques in using color. His steps can be found all around the Montmartre quarter, today known as the artist domain of the French capital. Van Gogh painted some mundane scenes in Parisian everyday life. He finally moved to the south, in the beautiful city of Arles, where he spent most of his remaining life. Gauguin followed him, but he was shortly driven away by the unusual character of van Gogh, who alternated between lucidity and madness. In one episode, he mistakenly cut his own ear, an event that still catches interest in the art world. While in Arles, he painted some of his most renowned works, including: Starry Night Over the Rhone and Café Terrace on the Place du Forum, Arles, at Night. Most of these places still exist and can be visited on a walking tour. The Cafe Terrace can accommodate any traveler that wishes to get into a live painting of the master.

Finally, he was sent for treatment in the asylum in Saint-Remy, where he continued to paint. His hospital room can be found and visited by anyone. Seeming much better, he was released and went to live in Auvers-sur-Oise, but, after just two months, he shot himself. His legacy perpetuated over the years, although he only sold one painting during his life. One of his paintings stood out of the rest, to become a symbol of culture and art over the years. Starry Night still inspires artists around the world and is one of the best known pieces of art. It was painted while in the sanatorium at Saint-Remy and the most passionate tourists could spend a night there just to get the feeling. His works are now spread throughout the world, the most important being at: The van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, National Gallery of Art in Washington, Art Institute of Chicago, Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Fine Arts Museum in San Francisco, Orsay Museum in Paris, Dallas Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art in New York and many more.

Recommended Accommodation in Arles

Cover Photo by Redd Francisco on Unsplash