Van Gogh — Did He Have Unusual Relationships?

May, 2024, The Van Gogh Museum, a Travel Diary

This is on the “Must Do” list when you go to Amsterdam, so it was something I had to do.

The tickets are relatively pricey but it is one of the most popular museums here, so it’s understandable. They sell out quickly so you’ll want to plan your trip at least a month in advance, I was lucky enough to get a ticket only two and a half weeks into the future.

The museum has an optional audio tour which I decided to pay the extra 3,00 euros for and I do recommend it. There were a few added pieces of information you get to hear through the headset this way.

The Museum is huge and holds works of Van Gogh, Emilie Bernard, Monet and a few other artists as well. You get to journey through Van Gough’s early life all the way to his death. They touch on his mental health, which I’ve always found quite interesting. There are also letters between Vincent and his brother and sister-in-law.

The Van Gogh Museum is home to a lot of his early works and holds the famous sunflower painting — it’s huge!

They discuss his inspirations, his most loved pieces, his most disliked pieces and some artworks of his friends.

The museum takes you on a journey which is really cool and you learn a bit about the life of an artist in the 1800’s. It seemed like a tricky life. There was a lot about the relationship between Vincent and his brother, they were very close and his brother was funding his lifestyle.

The sibling relationship fascinates me. It’s the furthest thing from the sibling relationship I have had experience with.

Vincent’s brother was financially helping him out so he could afford the essentials in life, in return Vincent would give his brother paintings to decorate his house with or sell.

They discuss his inspirations, his most loved pieces, his most disliked pieces and some artworks of his friends.

Ina letter from Vincent’s sister-in-law, she mentions “not a day goes by you are not mentioned.” According to that letter, Vincent’s brother’s home was decorated with paintings and ornaments Vincent either created, or liked. The brother even named their child Vincent.

This fascinates me.

My brother has lent me money from time to time, we communicate via modern letters, but if he named his child after me — I think I would have his head examined.

Perhaps siblings in the 1800s were closer than they are now.

And I will say, as much I would say my brother and I are close — if he funded my lifestyle while I spent every day writing… Well… I think I’d be disowned before that would ever happen.

The Museum was a good experience I would recommend it for those travelling to Amsterdam — they also delve into the story of each painting which made me go “hey! Stories!”

You were also able to look at a couple paintings under a microscope, and the audio guide discussed the painting techniques he used.

The one major disappointment was they didn’t have any of his swirly paintings on display.

But that’s okay.

I know where to find those.

They are housed in another museum in Utrecht…

Can you relate to Vincent and his brother’s relationship? Or do you think it’s something truly unique?

Do you have a favourite artist?