Put On Earth To Paint

Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum Is A Window Into The Artist’s Life.

- Kareena Gianani

Ma’am,” whispers the tall, bearded man with deep brown eyes, “you’re getting too close…”

I jump back from the subject of my affection: red beard, furrowed brows, pipe dangling from his lips, a yellow straw hat. I have dreamt of standing inches away from this Vincent van Gogh self-portrait for all my adult life.

“Thank you, ma’am,” nods the security guard when I am at a respectable distance, and walks away.

Around me, the ground floor of Amsterdam’s three-storey Van Gogh Museum brims with people gazing at the artwork of the legendary 19th-century Dutch artist. The museum holds the largest collection of van Gogh’s works anywhere in the world, including over 200 paintings, about 500 drawings, and hundreds of letters exchanged with his younger brother and lifelong patron, Theo. “Sunflowers” is here, as is “Almond Blossom” and 16 evocative self-portraits.

With his use of bold colours and signature short, thick brushstrokes, van Gogh changed the face of modern art. It is little surprise that visitors are often seen holding magnifying glasses in front of paintings, while others shift their spectacles for a better look at the forceful brushwork.