If you love a painting, or a painter, there's better way to experience their art by tracking down their life.
I’m at the exact spot where Van Gogh painted the Starry Night Over the Rhône / La Nuit étoilée.
I’ve seen the actual painting in musée d’Orsay more than 10 yrs ago but to be here, sharing the same view, is surreal.
It’s just a few mins walk from the ‘yellow house’ where Van Gogh stayed and painted his other well-known work. I felt slightly sad (and freezing) looking at the view because while this work was not as famous as his Starry Night, he was actually here, and captured what he saw. The more famous Starry Night, however, was painted from his imagination while he was confined in a mental ward. Not long after, as we all know, he cut off his ear and finally took his own life.
I wonder if the lovers in Van Gogh’s painting was really here, or perhaps it was his imagination?
Some of his most famous painting were done in the colder months like February. To experience the real-deal I showed up in winter when the walking along the Rhône river a sudden wind almost blew me off the edge.
I wondered if it’s the notorious ‘mistral wind’. A true Provençal winters day. Apparently, it’s this type of mean wind that clears the dust and creates a crisp, luminous sky that wooed the painters. It’s also this powerful wind that fends off the clouds, keeps the vineyard sunny and dry, and gives Provence the sunflowers, lavenders and abundance of wine.
Was it the alcohol that inspired Van Gogh, or drove him mad?
We've all seen various version of The Bedroom on the internet but who's been to the 'real deal'? I'm starring at an old pub-like building and trying to yellow house before it was destroyed during WWII bombing.
It was here where Van Gogh envisioned to establish the ‘studio of the South’ for artists, a dream that never came true. Neighbours despised the lunatic, absinthe-addict. If only they knew how famous/famed/loved he would later become…
In one day I traced almost of all of his better-known works done in various corner of Arles.
The most satisfying stop for me was L'espace. I love the warm yolk-coloured walls and the beautiful garden. Then again, you gotta be ready for some black humour if you want to dig deeper into Van Gogh's life. This was actually a hospital where he was admitted to, after he cut of his ear...(and apparently gave it to a prostitute..)
You can see many of Van Gogh's famous painting, including The Bedroom at the musée d’Orsay in Paris but if you're up for the real experience, Arles should be on your list.
Do you like Van Gogh or have you seen his paintings in any museums around the world?
If you're a fan like us, hit us up and we'd love to share all the tips on where/how to experience the best of Van Gogh!
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