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Van Gogh in Louvre
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Musée du Louvre

The Louvre still exists and is open to the public.

Van Gogh in

Louvre

  1. 12 May 1873
     - 18 May 1873
  2. 26 Oct 1874 1874
     - 25 Dec. 1874 1874
  3. 14 May 1875
     - 31 Mar. 1876 1876
  4. 28 Feb. 1886 1888
     - 19 Feb. 1888 1888

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Every time Vincent was in Paris – whether for days or years – he went to the Louvre to view its masterpieces. In 1875–76, living in the city and working for the art dealers Goupil & Cie, he often went to the Louvre or the Musée du Luxembourg on Sundays with his friend Harry Gladwell. The Louvre’s importance to Vincent is demonstrated by the fact that when he moved back to Paris ten years later, he went straight there. On his arrival on 28 February 1886, he wrote to his brother Theo:

“Don’t be cross with me that I’ve come all of a sudden. […] Will be at the Louvre from midday, or earlier if you like. A reply, please, to let me know when you could come to the Salle Carrée.” Read the complete letter

Between 1886 and 1888, Vincent regularly visited the Louvre. There, he was able to study his favourite artist Eugène Delacroix’s painting technique and use of colour. Vincent was also an ardent admirer of seventeenth-century Dutch painting: he wrote about Adriaen van Ostade’s Family Portrait several times, praised the work of Jacob van Ruisdael and applauded the Rembrandts, Paulus Potters and Gerard ter Borchs. Writing from Arles to his artist friend Émile Bernard in 1888, Vincent urged him to go to the Louvre and study the work of the Dutch old masters.

However, Vincent was evidently critical of the museum’s conservation methods, for he also wrote to Bernard:

“What grieves me at the Louvre is to see their Rembrandts getting spoiled and the cretins in the administration damaging many beautiful paintings. Thus the annoying yellow tonality of certain canvases by Rembrandt is an effect of deterioration through humidity or other causes, instances of which I could point out to you.” Read the complete letter

Seen here

Circle of Rembrand, The Holy Family, ca. 1640

Circle of Rembrand, The Holy Family, ca. 1640

Oil on panel, 40,6 x 34 cm

Musée du Louvre, Parijs

    Relevant letters from Vincent

    Continue reading

    1. Nienke Bakker

      Van Gogh en Montmartre
      Amsterdam, 2011
    2. Françoise Cachin en Bogomila Welsh-Ovcharov

      Van Gogh à Paris
      Parijs, 1988
    3. Ella Hendriks en Louis van Tilborgh

      Vincent van Gogh schilderijen, deel 2: Antwerpen en Parijs
      Amsterdam, 2011