On a journey with Van Gogh in Drenthe - Aug. 30, 2023

Over the past eight years, the Drents Museum conducted extensive research into Vincent van Gogh's Drenthe period. The exhibition On a journey with Vincent shows more than 20 works by Van Gogh ranging from paintings, watercolours and drawings as well as those by his contemporaries such as Jacob van Ruisdael, Jules Dupré, Jean-François Millet, Anton Mauve and Anthon van Rappard. The works come from museums and private collections from all over the world. This is the first time the museum has presented so many works from that era together.

One of these unique works is Landscape with a Farm (1883), a colourful watercolour that has been in the possession of a Canadian family collection for more than 40 years. In all that time, it has never been exhibited. Also on display are paintings, watercolours and drawings made by Van Gogh just before and just after his time in Drenthe. The well-known correspondence with his brother Theo is also not missing from the exhibition.

Rural Van Gogh From 2023, the provinces of Drenthe and Noord-Brabant will put Vincent van Gogh in the spotlight. The focus will be on 'Rural Van Gogh' - his years in the Netherlands, his love of nature and his connection with the countryside. Van Gogh's short and eventful life was characterised by a large number of moves to various places in Europe. Although his period in France is best known, he nevertheless spent most of his life in the Netherlands. North Brabant is the region where he lived longest and where he was formed as a person and an artist. There he developed his love for nature and landscape, struggled with his family, faith and feelings, started there as an artist and completed his first masterpiece here.

During his time in Drenthe, Vincent wrote letters about the impression the landscape made on him. Afterwards, the landscape, rough working-class life and playing with light always remained important themes in his work. That same landscape can still be admired in many places in North Brabant and Drenthe.

Activities in Drenthe and North Brabant

Besides the launch of the exhibition in September at the Drents museum, the renovated Van Gogh Huis Drenthe in Nieuw-Amsterdam/Veenoord, where the painter stayed during his time in Drenthe, will also open in October. In addition, signposted Van Gogh cycling and walking routes have been developed around Emmen, Hoogeveen and Zweeloo. The cycling and walking routes provide an illuminating picture of where Van Gogh drew his inspiration.

You can read the full story about Vincent van Gogh's period in North Brabant and Drenthe and his love for the landscape.