Random VG #4

Book: An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin (Grand Central Publishing: 2010)

Chapter 15: "A hand lifted the velour to reveal a Van Gogh drawing so fine that the only improvement it could make would be to turn itself into a painting. It showed Van Gogh's finest landscape subject, wheat fields being harvested by workers loading wheat into a hay wain."

[Note: The work in question is a watercolour, not a drawing.]

Chapter 19: "The brunette leaned the two paintings on either side of the Van Gogh on the floor, giving the gouache breathing room. The director turned to Talley. 'Do you know this picture?'

The sujbect was a green boat on yellow sand next to a blue sea, eighteen by twenty-four inches, under glass. 'Of course I know the painting, but I didn't know there was a gouache. It's wonderfully fresh,' said Talley, standing and examining it. Lacy came close. The signature 'Vincent,' made her feel that the artist was nearby, that his brush had just lifted off the paper."

[Note: A character in Martin's book says that this work was seized from the Germans during the war and that it was to be returned. The work, however, is still in the collection of the Hermitage.]

Currently reading . . . .

I would encourage everyone to share their thoughts on any Van Gogh related books they're reading these days.

Right now I'm reading A Real Van Gogh: How the Art World Struggles with Truth by Henk Tromp. This book was published in Dutch in 2008 (I believe) and an English version came out in 2010. Excellent research and engaging writing make this a very enjoyable book. It focuses on the first efforts to catalogue Van Gogh's works (something near and dear to my heart as a cataloguer of Van Gogh's works for more than fifteen years now). It then moves on to the various scandals and controversies concerning authenticity over the years. Lots of underhandedness and back stabbing--the stuff of high drama . . . . drama that continues to the present day. Highly recommended.

Random VG #3

Television show: Doctor Who
Episode: The Lodger (Season 5)
Air date: 12 June 2010
Time: 07:31

One of Van Gogh's self-portraits can be seen on a postcard taped to a refrigerator.
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Film: Despicable Me
Release date: 9 July 2010
Time: 1:02:26

A framed Starry Night (very likely meant to be the original) can be seen leaning against a wall.
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Television show: Dexter
Episode: Living the Dream (Season 4)
Air date: 27 September 2009
Time: 27:35

A framed print of Fishing Boats on the Beach at Saintes-Maries can be seen on the wall.

Van Gogh Museum on YouTube

Just a brief note to encourage everyone to visit the Van Gogh Museum's channel on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/atVanGoghMuseum

The VGM has been putting out videos focusing on specific paintings. I've found these videos to be very enjoyable, informative and entertaining. Be sure to check them out!

InSites Page for Watercolour

I've just added a new InSites page for:

- Tree Roots in a Sandy Ground ("Les Racines")

I'd welcome any other suggestions for additional InSites pages.

Two New InSites Pages

Just a reminder to keep checking the InSites section for ongoing updates. In the last week I've added:

- Thatched Cottages at Cordeville

- Entrance Gate to a Farm with Haystacks

Two Van Gogh Paintings Rejected in Germany

This month the Von der Heydt-Museum in Wuppertal, Germany rejected two of the four Van Gogh paintings in their collection:

Still Life with Beer Mug and Fruit (F 1a, JH 82)

Vase with Flowers, Coffeepot and Fruit (F 287, JH 1231)

I always think it's commendable when a museum undertakes research on a work's authenticity and comes to the difficult conclusion that the work in their collection can no longer be considered genuine. Other museums are guilty of the opposite. Both the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco and the Albright-Knox Museum in Buffalo claim to own Van Gogh works (a painting and two drawings respectively) when these works have been categorically rejected by everyone else.

On another note, it’s always a bit of a challenge for me when a Van Gogh art work is rejected. For each rejected work, the following is required:

- Build a new record in my Van Gogh database's rejected table. Reconstruct all data from accepted works table (a field by field copy and paste because both tables are structured differently). Reconstruct rejected work's provenance records. Reconstruct rejected work's exhibition history records. Move image to rejected folder. Deleted original record from the accepted works table.

- In the website: remove image, remove webpage, change chronological listing page (and change number of total paintings at the top of the page), change thumbnail page, change painting A-Z page, change "next painting" and "previous painting" link on relevant webpages, remove work from World Map section (if applicable) and change total number of paintings on main page.

All just for one rejected painting!