Vincent makes frequent trips to Eindhoven. He gave lessons to amateur artists in the house of Antoon Hermans, bought his paint from Baijens, his printing ink from the Gestel & Zn firm, and visited his friend Anton Kerssemakers who lived diagonally across the street from what was then the train station. He even gets piano lessons there for a while, but turns out to have more of an eye for color, than for timbre.
Van Gogh's pupils are all from Eindhoven: Dimmen Gestel, Antoon Hermans, Anton Kerssemakers and Willem van de Wakker. Van Gogh teaches them to paint even better. They are friends and deserving amateur painters. The "painting club" meets at the drawing school on the Markt in Eindhoven.
The Van Gogh Village Museum features original artwork by these four painter friends.
This was made possible by the foundation The Friends of Vincent van Gogh & Nuenen, together with the Eindhoven Museum.
Born in Gestel (Eindhoven) on August 28, 1846 and died in Eindhoven on July 6, 1924. By profession tanner, saddler and agent in tobacco. Through the efforts of druggist and paint dealer Jantje Baijens, Vincent and Anton met in November 1884.
Vincent paints a study of the Genneper watermill that day in the freezing cold.
On his way home, he stopped by Baijens' drugstore before taking the train to Nuenen. Baijens needed to bring paint to Anton Kerssemakers and since he lived near the station, he suggested Vincent walk up together. On the way, Baijens told him that Kerssemakers was busy painting landscapes on the walls of his office instead of wallpapering them. Whether Vincent might feel like making his acquaintance?
Things must have clicked wonderfully that first time between Anton and Vincent, because that same evening Kerssemakers creates a still life under Vincent's direction. It is assumed that Kerssemakers is part of the "painting club" that meets in the drawing school in the Market Square, where Vincent has given the necessary instructions.
The style and influence of Vincent is visibly present in Kerssemakers' works.
Wllem van de Wakker was born in Almelo on April 17, 1859 and died in Nijmegen on April 30, 1927.
By profession telegraph operator at the telegraph office in Market Square.
This office, like the drawing school, is housed in the Waag building.
Vincent sees Van de Wakker's work at Baijens drugstore, which has been taken there to be framed.Vincent asks Jan Baijens to be allowed to meet Willem van de Wakker. And that happens.
Van de Wakker's name appears on a postcard from Vincent to Anton Kerssemakers.
In a 1927 interview, Van de Wakker tells an anecdote about the painting of The Potato Eaters: After a whole day of painting, Vincent walks past the cottage of the De Groot family. He steps inside to rest. The family sits together just under the lamp and begins to eat. Spontaneously, Vincent takes canvas, brush and palette and begins to paint the group.
Born in Dirksland on Aug. 31, 1862, and died in Eindhoven on June 30, 1945.
Dimmen Gestel was studying Drawing at the Rijksacademie in Amsterdam when he met Vincent. His father owned lithography Gestel & Zn in Eindhoven.
Van Gogh sometimes obtained printing ink here to paint even blacker than with paint.
Vincent sees some of Dimmen's paintings in the print shop, and finds that there is promise in them. Vincent asks Dimmen's parents to send their son to Nuenen sometime. And so he becomes a pupil of Van Gogh.
Dimmen paints, draws and lithographs still lifes, but especially landscapes and Brabant interiors in the spirit of the Hague School. He also designs many posters.
Born in Oss on December 17, 1822 and died in Roermond on August 29, 1897.
Goldsmith by profession, wealthy, travels extensively and collects artifacts and antiques. He is also churchwarden of the Catharine church.
Friend and architect Pierre Cuypers builds him a stately home on Keizersgracht. For the dining room, Vincent designs compositions of the four seasons. Hermans comes into contact with Vincent through Baijens.
As an antiques dealer, Hermans has a collection of objects that Vincent may borrow as inspiration for his still lifes. Hermans likes to paint in an academic style and has many framed works auctioned off for the poor. The painting Cows in Landscape is an example of this.
