The Van Gogh Museum is currently preparing a collection catalogue of the paintings and drawings by contemporaries of Van Gogh in the holdings of the museum.
This collection of contemporaries of Van Gogh entails many significant works by artists such as Paul Gauguin, Camille Pissarro and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. As many of the artists within the collection of contemporaries are represented by both painting and drawings, the museum has opted for an integral approach in which both mediums are included in the catalogue.
Vincent & Theo
The foundation for this collection was once laid by Vincent and Theo van Gogh. They started collecting late nineteenth-century vanguard art during their lifetime. The Van Gogh Museum continues their efforts to this day. Recent acquisitions, such as Woman Bathing by Edgar Degas and Plate of Peaches by Gustave Caillebotte will be included in the catalogue.
Research stage
The project entails both provenance research and art historical research, of which the outcomes will be combined in entries. As for the paintings, the provenance research has been completed, and the project is now in the phase of art historical research. Yet for a considerate amount of the drawings, provenance research still awaits.
Currently, research into the 39 paintings and drawings by Odilon Redon is being conducted, with an emphasis on their connection to the collecting practices of their illustrious previous owner, Andries Bonger. Andries was the brother of Jo van Gogh-Bonger, and brother-in-law of Theo van Gogh.
Concurrently the museum’s eight paintings and four drawings by Paul Gauguin are being researched, as well as the many works by Emile Bernard in the museum’s collection. A great number of the works by these two artists have been acquired by Vincent and Theo van Gogh and are therefore of central importance to the Van Gogh Museum.
Digital publication
As the research project gradually works its way through the collection, digital publication of the entries on the website of the Van Gogh Museum will be gradual, starting over the course of 2021.
Contact
Joost van der Hoeven, Research Associate: j.vanderhoeven@vangoghmuseum.nl