London, UK — A major new exhibition at the National Gallery, “Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers,” delves into Vincent van Gogh’s prolific period in the South of France from 1888 to 1890, one of the most fertile phases of his career. This period, marked by intense creative output despite personal struggles, is the focus of the exhibit, which features some of the Dutch Post-Impressionist’s most acclaimed works.
Van Gogh’s departure from Paris in 1888 was driven by his dissatisfaction with city life. Seeking solace, the artist relocated to the south of France. Over the next two years, he produced a substantial body of work, creating hundreds of stunning paintings. The tumultuous period was characterized by his experimentation with vibrant colors and innovative techniques, as he lived in various residences in Arles and spent time in a psychiatric hospital in Saint-Rémy. Tragically, Van Gogh died by suicide in July 1890.
According to Emily LaBarge of The New York Times, “It was a prolific period during which—despite emotional turmoil, mental breakdowns, and periodic institutionalization—the artist produced some of his most famous, inventive, and moving works.”
The exhibition also highlights Van Gogh’s time at the Yellow House in Arles, where he rented rooms and hosted fellow artist Paul Gauguin for a brief period. Van Gogh decorated the walls with a curated display of his own work, and “Poets and Lovers” recreates these arrangements, showcasing the paintings in the same manner they were presented more than a century ago.
The exhibition’s title refers to two 1888 portraits that are featured together in the gallery, echoing their original placement above Van Gogh’s bed. The “poet” is Eugène Boch, a Belgian painter who reminded Van Gogh of the poet Dante Alighieri, while the “lover” is Lieutenant Milliet, a local soldier and friend of the artist described as a “local soldier lothario” by The Times.
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