Lecture: From Unrecognized Genius to Global Icon: Vincent van Gogh Then and Now

Axel Rüger, Director, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Saturday, February 25, 2017

Today Vincent van Gogh is one of the most famous, if not the most famous artist in the world. Every time something momentous happens such as the discovery of a lost or unknown work or the recovery of a stolen work, it is at once global news. It is a well-known fact that during his lifetime Van Gogh only sold one painting and otherwise remained known only to a small circle of friends. Rüger traces the artist’s short career to remind us of his enormous achievements as a painter and draughtsman, and then describes the artist’s road to fame, the heroic role a female family member played in this and what this means for the museum that deals with the artist’s legacy now, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Van Gogh’s ‘Bedroom’ on Loan From the Art Institute of Chicago.