My Barn Burned Down

Van Gogh letters

Came across a fabulous site today that allows us entry into the very personal observations and working life of Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, through reading their correspondence and seeing their working sketches. The 120 letters are on exhibition, alongside the works he writes about,  at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam until January 3 next year but this site brings it to us.  I was very moved reading these letters and reminded of the fact that in his lifetime, Van Gogh only sold ONE painting!

The photo above is one example and you can read the full letter online.

That reminded of the quotation I read somewhere that “Art is painting, not painted.” The letters give such a strong example of artists doing the work for the love of the work, the love of the play of light and line and form, and the insistent urge that simply pushes its way out from within. In one of Paul’s letters to Vincent he mentions some sketches he’s working on of something he “glimpses” is important, and to come, but not here yet. I think most creatives will understand that deeply.

Enjoy the Van Gogh letters!

PS-Something I learned recently that I did not know: we always hear Vincent’s name pronounce Van GO. He decided to sign his paintings just Vincent because people (in the south of France) could not pronounce his name correctly. He was Dutch, so it sounds like Van Gough as in ‘cough’.

Tweet This Post