The story of Vincent van Gogh's life in Nuenen, is characterized by hard work and perseverance. At the same time, he saw the poverty around him. This journey of discovery, as a human being, but also of light, color and perspective, is the focus of our museum. This leads to his first masterpiece, The Potato Eaters.
This permanent exhibition is about Vincent's life in Nuenen.
The tensions at home, the tragic relationship with his neighbor: it strengthens his determination to be an artist. He works hard, practices a lot, also teaches, and invites friends to Nuenen.
He walks a lot and where he sees something, he draws a line in the sand with his foot. Only to return later, in better light, with a sketchbook.
Vincent in Nuenen
Vincent decides to paint a large group portrait in Nuenen. Nuenen was the ideal setting for this: The area had great poverty and he paints and sketches hard-working weavers, agricultural workers and farmers. People in the field, details outside, and inside. Despite setbacks, he perseveres and makes hundreds of drawings and paintings as preliminary studies.
It will lead to his first masterpiece The Potato Eaters.
The Potato Eaters
Henri van der Waals was a Dutch draughtsman born in Amsterdam in 1904. Van Gogh was his great example. We recognize themes and Vincent's style in his drawings and paintings. We see people, working in the fields, flower still lifes, farmhouses and landscapes.
What is light and how does color work? In Vincents Lichtlab you can discover for yourself the effects of light and color in a surprising way.
Vincent experiments with light and perspective in his paintings. Through trial and error and, above all, perseverance, Vincent learns more and more. For example, he discovers that you shouldn't paint a red canvas in a dark house with red but with brown.
What happens then in your eyes and in your brain?
You can experience that at Vincents Lichtlab.
"But where more & more it degenerates into an overproduction of paintings where the same light, the same what they call, I believe, day tone and local color prevails throughout the whole painting, is this good? I think no. "
Letter 535 to Theo van Gogh
