#van-gogh

#van-gogh

The Van Gogh still life has been consigned by the estate of Cindy Pritzker, who died in March, aged 101. Her late husband, Jay Pritzker, built up the Hyatt Hotels chain and died in 1999. Cindy, who was president of the Chicago Public Library board, had a passion for literature. This added to her enthusiasm for Parisian Novels, which depicts 22 books casually strewn across a table, along with a glass with three pink roses.

For well over a century it was a family secret: Vincent van Gogh's sister-in-law, Jo Bonger, had a short relationship with the Dutch Impressionist painter Isaac Israëls. Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum has just published the surviving sent by Israëls to Bonger, and is presenting a about their "intimate friendship'. Captivated by Vincent: The Intimate Friendship of Jo van Gogh-Bonger and Isaac Israëls (until 25 January 2026) is not just about the relationship, but equally importantly it covers its impact of Van Gogh's art on Israëls.

Adventures with Van Gogh has just marked its 300th post since the weekly blog was launched in 2018. For the 200th, in February 2023, we ran a compilation of what had then been the ten most popular posts. This week, starting with the most popular, we look back at the posts which have attracted most readers since then. Some of the topics were predictable, others came as quite a surprise. All have recently been updated with new information for this latest compilation.

With loans from nearly 50 museums and private collections, nearly all the paintings were displayed in ornate gilded frames-which Van Gogh disliked. Van Gogh's The Large Plane Trees (Road Menders at Saint-Rémy) (December 1889) in a typical example of a French Baroque gilded frame-it has been on the painting since it was sold by the dealer Paul Rosenberg in 1947 Cleveland Museum of Art (photograph The Art Newspaper)

To begin with the obvious, the stars of the depicted Plough (or Big Dipper) would never look quite so prominent, even in the relatively muted artificial light of 19th-century Arles. In the actual sky, the Plough points to the North Star, so these stars would have appeared behind Van Gogh when he was looking south at the view towards the centre of Arles.

"The Red Vineyard is among Van Gogh's most dramatically coloured Provençal landscapes, but it is also famed for being the only painting that the artist is certain to have sold."

The Royal Academy of Arts' exhibition features massive artworks by Anselm Kiefer inspired by Van Gogh, marking a unique meeting of minds between the two artists.

What is even less widely known is that, in the past, two ambassadors have brought their Van Gogh masterpieces with them to enhance the house's reception rooms.

The exhibition transforms the New York Botanical Garden into a vibrant tribute to Van Gogh, combining his iconic works with immersive installations and nature-inspired art.

" Vincent is a pivotal figure in my life and career. My journey with art has always been intertwined with his influence, and acquiring this piece is a realization of a lifelong dream. I hope this can inspire more collectors in Korea to share their passion for art."