Director's foreword
The contents of this year's Van Gogh Museum Journal are in large measure related to the exhibition Van Gogh and Gauguin. At the time of writing, this spectacular exhibition had just opened at the Art Institute of Chicago and it moves to our museum in February 2002. The show consists of some 120 works by Van Gogh and Gauguin, all of which have been selected to recreate their complex artistic relationship. It begins with their initial awareness of each other's art in the mid-1880s before moving on to their brief period of frenetic collaboration in Arles, following their interaction in sequences of works, some familiar some not. An extended postscript to the show takes the story through to the end of their respective careers.
One might think that there is little left to tell about the relationship between Van Gogh and Gauguin, a theme which has attracted generations of historians, writers and filmmakers. Surprisingly, the exhibition in Chicago and Amsterdam is the first time this story has been told using the pictures themselves. The result is in no way a dry art-historical exercise but retains a sense of excitement in its unfolding narrative. The accompanying exhibition catalogue draws a substantial body of information together and provides a platform for further research on both artists.
Several of the articles in this Journal either develop aspects of the catalogue research or approach similar issues from different perspectives. Alongside material on Van Gogh and Gauguin, however, there are also articles on other aspects of the permanent collection and on our recent acquisitions. Of particular note this year is the purchase of two works by Monet, both of Dutch subjects. There is also a complete list of the recently acquired Nabis print collection, announced in the Journal of 2000. I am grateful to all the authors both from within and from outside our museum for their contributions. Particular thanks are also due to our managing editor, Rachel Esner, who has guided this volume to completion with her customary skill and patience. I should also like to thank Head of Research Chris Stolwijk, Leo Jansen of the Van Gogh Letters Project and Head of Collections Sjraar van Heugten for their work on the editorial board.
In an article published in Le Monde on 18 August 2001 the writer John Berger asked whether it was still possible to add anything to all the words that have already been written on Van Gogh. His answer was a resounding ‘no.’ We beg to differ. The exhibition Van Gogh and Gauguin and the related publications - including this issue of the Van Gogh Museum Journal - demonstrate that Van Gogh's art can indeed stimulate new and worthwhile research. And, while the body of literature continues to grow, there are enough reminders that we still have much to learn about the painter and his art.
John Leighton
Director
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