Postcard from Amsterdam: Van Gogh’s “The Bedroom” (CV)
“The painting comes to me as if in a dream.”
–Vincent Van Gogh
While on a recent trip to Amsterdam I visited the Van Gogh Museum. Fees for checked luggage being what they are these days, rather than buying souvenirs, I bought postcards for family and friends back home.
I chose a postcard of Van Gogh’s sunflowers for my mother. Sunflowers are her favorite flower.
For my sister, the artist, who was a Japanophile long before she moved there some 12 years ago, I picked up “The Sower,” which is an example of how Japanese art influenced Van Gogh.
For myself, the dreamer, I purchased this one: “The Bedroom.” In a letter to his brother Theo, Van Gogh wrote,
“This time it simply reproduces my bedroom; but colour must be abundant in this part, its simplification adding a rank of grandee to the style applied to the objects, getting to suggest a certain rest or dream.”
On the topic of dreams of another sort, Van Gogh wrote:
“If one wants to become a painter, if one has passion, then one can do it.”
ZZzzZZzzZZzzZZ
p.s. to my sister: Sorry I never got around to mailing your post card! I hope this will suffice for now 🙂
ZzZzZzZzZz
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So, Tzivia, I LOVE reading your blogs, much like I loved sitting in class and listening to you talk… You have a way with words that makes people feel like they are there where you are… And it amazes me!! 🙂
air, light and colour…. van gogh knew how to dream, for sure, and rendered it to canvas, albeit violence (e.g. his lifestyle) always lurked around the corner… do you think he had nightmares too? 😉
n♥
I have that same postcard. I love sunflowers. They are my favorite flowers.
Amazing. (And hope your sister forgives you 🙂 )
I like the Iris from him!! Because of the colors!!
I like your choices and esp. that you try to match them with the person. I always do that with mine although like yours to your sister, they don’t always get sent. When I was looking through my Ireland ones, I found one addressed to my husband’s neice–nice note and all–and I still had it!
My favorite is the bedroom one. I’m fascinated by how folks decorate even if it’s a room in that person’s head.
Van Gogh is still so inspiring (though I’m not particularly fond of his flowers). I haven’t been to that museum in almost a decade! For shame!
(And now you should probably go and send the postcard to JGY anyways. Just to spite yourself 😉
I didn’t remember “The sower” though I’ve been 2 times there. Beautifull colours, suffering artist (I guess) Thanks!
Thank you for the postcard!
I receive it gratefully thru your postcard,
still I thank Flowtops for her support of sending it anyway through the mail:))
I ♡Van Gogh
With love and welcome back, lucky you!
PS I meant thru your post!
Also please remind me to tell you about a Japanese artist who re-created Van Goghs bedroom into a real room, he is a furniture maker, I think I posted about it once, will send the link I think you’d like it.
And its a return influence Van Gogh influenced by Japan’s art, Japan artists influenced by Van Gogh…xo
http://aikawarazulifeinjapan.blogspot.com/search?q=van+gogh
(please take a look, you can see it looks like a dream:))
That’s so cool, Jo! We shared a bedroom across time and space … 2009/2011 Japan/Amsterdam!
postcards are nice souvenirs i think. love those yellow colors of van gogh 🙂
I recently read a beautiful piece by VG on how he used colors to make the green of olive trees at different times of day.