As with the other residents of this fine old town, I am eagerly awaiting the inauguration of the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh Arles tomorrow. It has been many months in the making with a thorough renovation of a 15th century hôtel particulier just down the street from where I live. Much banging has been accompanied by a fair shake of rat a tat tat. Something tells me Vincent would have approved.
Certainly he would be delighted that at last his work is being appreciated and shown in a town he loved so dearly (until now there has been only one Van Gogh in all of Provence, in a private collection in Avignon). There is much mystery about his time here and quite a few myths to be pierced as well. But for me, what is certain, is that he took something as intangible to paint as the Mistral winds that blow and caught them by the tail. The light? He coaxed and wheedled until it was eating out of his hand like the swallows that criss-cross overhead.
We see what we want to see and certainly Vincent stuck to his lonely path until the end. And now we have the remnants of his scattered moments of happiness, his brazen unknown success, to gaze upon and understand what is our Provence.
I’ll leave you with some of his colors – albeit modern and worn – found on one walk through the centre historique, not far from his Yellow House.
Have a lovely weekend and I will report back after the opening in a few days…
Van Gogh found something in Provence that captured his artistic soul, possessed him with “scattered moments of happiness” as you described. I have seen some of his works here in San Francisco throughout the years.
In his solitary walk he saw these tamed colors that made some of his earlier and later works?
The Fondation Vincent Van Gogh Arles will be another treasure of Provence.
Heather you always manage to capture the magic! Love the photos and the tale you told us. I was out at a home yesterday and thought of you when I started taking close up shots of the bricks and stones used to make up both its dimensions and history.
PATINA PATINA PATINA………..LOVE it ALL!
I did a report on VINCENT many years ago!In grammar school I believe………..perhaps, he is why I adore color so much these days!
XOXO
I am so excited that the Fondation is opening.. I think we'll be in Arles May 29 & 30 and we hope to go to the museum. Do you think we can buy same day tickets at the museum? I love your close up and very special photos today – lovely patina all around!
Oui, et oui encore. I see these patinas in Charente, too. So beautiful, Heather. Thank you.
Likewise …
You've made a beautiful gallery of things that are so close to our noses that we fail to see them. Thank you.
What a gorgeous post, Heather. I love your Vincent colors. Wandering around Arles with you and seeing the intense blue sky above and the light bounce off the worn facades gave me a whole new appreciation for what Mr. Van Gogh created. Wish we could have seen the Foundation, too. Yet another reason to come back! Enjoy and can't wait to hear more!
Happy, happy weekend! XOXO
Around here we refer to VVG as "uncle Vince," since there's an unconfirmed, but entirely plausible suggestion that we are related to the famous man on his mother's side. The man had a way of seeing and translating that to canvas that I love. I'm glad that Arles is recognizing and paying homage to his talent and creativity.
I am green with envy.