The Blue Dress
Currently on view
Kees van Dongen (1877 - 1968), Paris, in or before 1911
oil on canvas, 146.2 cm x 114.4 cm
Credits: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (purchased with support from the VriendenLoterij), c/o Pictoright Amsterdam 2025
The artist couple Guus Preitinger and Kees van Dongen lived in Paris for many years, where they were at the heart of the cultural scene. Van Dongen portrayed his wife several times. In this nearly life-size painting, he presented Guus as a woman of the world: head held high, hand on her hip, and beautifully dressed.
In contrast to her fair skin and the red background, the bright blue of her dress pops off the canvas. Van Dongen painted the shadows on Guus’ arms and neck in green. Working with large areas of colour in bold contrasts is typical of Van Dongen’s work. He was directly inspired by Van Gogh’s use of vivid colour and expressive brushwork.
- Object number
- s0493S1999
- Dimensions
- 146.2 cm x 114.4 cm, 161 cm x 129.4 cm, 8.8 cm
- artist
- Kees van Dongen
- Credits
- Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (purchased with support from the VriendenLoterij)
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Nederlanders in Parijs 1789-1914. Van Spaendonck, Jongkind, Van Gogh , Van Dongen, Mondriaan, 13 October 2017-7 January 2018
The Hague, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Herkomst: Ivo Bouwman, 16 February-12 May 2013
Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, De grote ogen van Kees van Dongen, 18 September 2010-23 January 2011, no. 56
Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Kees van Dongen: Hoe ik er kwam - fauvisme, exotisme, epatisme, 18 September 2010-23 January 2011
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Van Goghs brieven. De kunstenaar aan het woord, 9 October 2009-3 January 2010
Martigny, Fondation Pierre Gianadda, Kees van Dongen, 25 January-9 June 2002, no. 42
Paris, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Van Dongen, le peintre : 1877-1968, 22 March-17 June 1990, no. geen catnr. / no cat. no.
Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Kees van Dongen, 17 December 1989-11 February 1990, no. 27
Toulouse, Réfectoire des Jacobins, Kees Van Dongen 1877-1968, October-November 1985, no. 29
Saint-Tropez, Musée de l'Annonciade, Kees Van Dongen 1877-1968, 6 July-30 September 1985, no. 29
Paris, Grand Palais, Hommage à Van Dongen, 31 October-27 November 1972, no. 21
Marseille, Musée Cantini, Hommage à Van Dongen, June-September 1969, no. 35
Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Van Dongen, 8 December 1967-28 January 1968
Paris, Musée National d'Art Moderne, Van Dongen, 13 October-26 November 1967, no. 63
Grafton Galleries, Second Post-Impressionist Exhibition, 5 October-31 December 1912, no. 34
Paris, Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Oeuvres nouvelles de Van Dongen, 4-16 December 1911, no. 18
Darley, Esther, Suijver, Renske, Masterpieces in the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, 2019, p. 162
Darley, Esther, Suijver, Renske, Meesterwerken in het Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, 2019, p. 162
Jonkman, Mayken, Dijk, Maite van, Bakker, Nienke, The Dutch in Paris 1789-1914, Bussum, 2017, p. 221
Jonkman, Mayken, Dijk, Maite van, Bakker, Nienke, Les Hollandais à Paris 1789-1914, Paris, 2017, p. 221
Jonkman, Mayken, Dijk, Maite van, Bakker, Nienke, Nederlanders in Parijs 1789-1914, Bussum, 2017, p. 221
Hopmans, Anita, De grote ogen van Kees van Dongen, Rotterdam, 2010, p. 98, 123, 186
Leighton, John, Heugten, Sjraar van, Stolwijk, Chris, Van Gogh Museum : a decade of collecting : acquisitions 1997-2006, Amsterdam, 2006, p. 40-41
Leeuw, Ronald de, Leighton, John, Duparc, F., Straaten, Evert J. van, Een lot uit de loterij : museale aanwinsten dankzij de Sponsor Loterij (1998-2004), Otterlo, 2004, p. 8-9, 23
Marchesseau, Daniel, Kees van Dongen, Martigny, 2002, p. 12, 85
Scholten, F., Gokken voor de kunst, p. 47-48
Nieuwe aanwinst : spectaculaire aankoop, p. 11
Inhoudelijk jaarverslag 1999 : stichting Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, 2000, p. 3-4, 7, 10-11, 21
Leighton, John, Nederlandse Sponsor Loterij : Jaarverslag 1999, Amsterdam, 2000, p. 5, 22
Recent acquisitions by the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, p. 600-604
Dorn, Roland, Keyes, G., Rishel, Joseph .J., Sachs, K., Van Gogh face to face : the portraits, Detroit, 2000, p. 233
Hopmans, Anita, Kees van Dongen : de blauwe japon, p. 16-19
Esner, Rachel, Heugten, Sjraar van, Leighton, John, Blühm, Andreas, Tempel, Benno, Van Gogh Museum Journal 1999, Amsterdam, 1999, p. 134-135
Doschka, Roland, L'Eternel Feminin : from Renoir to Picasso, New York, 1996, p. 35-39
Marquet, F., Pagé, Suzanne, Van Dongen, le peintre : 1877-1968, Paris, 1990, p. 143-144
Kyriazi, J.M., Van Dongen et le fauvisme, Paris, 1971, p.112-114, 116-118, 147
Wentinck, Charles, Hommage à Van Dongen, Marseille, 1969, [unpaged]
Van Dongen, [1967], [unpaged]
Bondil, Nathalie, Bouhours, Jean-Michel, Kees Van Dongen en Amérique du Nord : a Montreal Tribute, p. 211, 334