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Van Gogh in

Amsterdam

  1. 14 May 1877
     - 5 Jul. 1878
  2. 24 Nov. 1881
     - 27 Nov. 1881
  3. 6 Oct. 1885
     - 8 Oct. 1885

Vincent arrived in Amsterdam in May 1877, intending to prepare for technology studies at the university.

He had several contacts in the city and three of them were family: his uncle Johannes Paulus Stricker was a minister there, his uncle Cor van Gogh dealt in books and art, and his uncle Jan van Gogh was the director of the city’s naval dockyard. Jan van Gogh had set up a study bedroom for Vincent, and Vincent spent his days amid the inspiring liveliness of the dockyard.

His schedule consisted of Greek and Latin lessons with the classicist Maurits Benjamin Mendes da Costa, geometry and algebra lessons with Mr Texeira de Mattos, and plenty of self-study. Vincent worked from the early morning until late at night but he found his studies difficult. Although he was making progress, he did not feel as if he was mastering the material. On Sundays he often attended multiple church services and also taught Sunday school.

Although his attention was mainly focused on his studies, he visited museums such as the Trippenhuis and Museum van der Hoop whenever he could, and he enjoyed walking in the city, whose beauty he admired. He often managed to capture its atmosphere in letters by comparing it to various paintings. In the end, Vincent failed to successfully complete his studies and left Amsterdam in the summer 1878 for his parents’ house in Etten. There, he began contemplating his future plans.

Vincent was to visit Amsterdam twice more in his life. In 1881, he went to the capital to see his cousin Kee Vos, with whom he had fallen in love; his feelings would remain painfully unrequited. In 1885, he returned to the city for the last time to visit the newly opened Rijksmuseum with his friend Anton Kerssemakers.

Made here

The cave of Machpela, 1877

The cave of Machpela, 1877

Mixed technique on paper, 7,2 x 15,4 cm

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Stichting)

View in Amsterdam, 1885

View in Amsterdam, 1885

Oil on panel, 19 x 25,5 cm

Collection P. en N. de Boer Foundation, Amsterdam

De Ruyterkader in Amsterdam, 1885

De Ruyterkader in Amsterdam, 1885

Oil on panel, 20,3 x 27 cm

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Stichting)

    Seen here

    Rembrandt, The flight into Egypt, at night, 1651

    Rembrandt, The flight into Egypt, at night, 1651

    Etching

    Rijksprentenkabinet, Amsterdam

    Rembrand, De graflegging van Christus, ca. 1654

    Rembrand, De graflegging van Christus, ca. 1654

    Ets

    Rijksprentenkabinet, Amsterdam

    Rembrandt, The Syndics, 1661-1662

    Rembrandt, The Syndics, 1661-1662

    Oil on canvas, 191,5 x 279 cm

    Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

    Bartholomeus van der Helst, Geertruida den Dubbele, 1668

    Bartholomeus van der Helst, Geertruida den Dubbele, 1668

    Oil on painting, 139 x 125 cm

    Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

    Frans Hals en Pieter Codde, De Magere Compagnie, 1637

    Frans Hals en Pieter Codde, De Magere Compagnie, 1637

    Oil on canvas, 209 x 429 xm

    Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

    Rembrandt, Het Joodse bruidje, ca. 1665-1669

    Rembrandt, Het Joodse bruidje, ca. 1665-1669

    Oil on canvas, 121,5 x 166,5 cm

    Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

    Jozef Israëls, Alone in the world, 1878

    Jozef Israëls, Alone in the world, 1878

    Oil on canvas, 90 x 139 cm

    Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

    Narcisse Virgile Diaz de la Peña, Een nimf met Cupido, 1851

    Narcisse Virgile Diaz de la Peña, Een nimf met Cupido, 1851

    Oil on canvas

    Amsterdam Museum, Amsterdam

    Bartholomeus van der Helst, Aerts van Nes, 1668

    Bartholomeus van der Helst, Aerts van Nes, 1668

    Oil on painting, 139 x 125 cm

      Relevant letters from Vincent

      1. No relevant letters found so far.

      Continue reading

      1. Reindert Groot, Teio Meedendorp

        Vincent van Gogh over Amsterdam, een stadswandeling rond 1880
        Bussum, 2003
      2. Lekker wandelen in Amsterdam, Van Kattenburg tot Begijnhof, Met Vincent van Gogh door Amsterdam
        VVV Amsterdam
      3. Reindert Groot, Sjoerd de Vries

        Vincent van Gogh in Amsterdam
        Amsterdam, 1990