Van Gogh exhibition at London's National Gallery earns five-star reviews

Opening on 14 September, the show features over 60 works by Vincent Van Gogh.


Pop Culture & Art September 12, 2024
Courtesy: AFP

A new Vincent Van Gogh exhibition at London's National Gallery has garnered rave reviews from critics.

The Guardian, The Telegraph, Time Out, and The Times all praised the exhibition, with each awarding it five stars.

Opening on 14 September, the show features over 60 works by the Dutch artist, who passed away in 1890 at the age of 37.

Courtesy: Getty Images

Courtesy: Getty Images

The Times described it as a "once-in-a-century" event, while The Guardian called it a "riveting rollercoaster ride from Arles to the stars."

Titled Poets and Lovers, the exhibition includes a Sunflowers painting that hasn't left the U.S. since its acquisition in 1935.

This piece is part of a triptych displayed alongside two Sunflower paintings and La Berceuse, a portrait of a maternal figure, as Van Gogh suggested to his brother, Theo, before his death.

Cpurtesy: Musée d'Orsay, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Patrice Schmidt

Cpurtesy: Musée d'Orsay, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Patrice Schmidt

Dr. Gabriele Finaldi, the National Gallery's director, highlighted that this is the gallery's first exhibition solely dedicated to Van Gogh, with museums and collectors generously lending their pieces for the show.

In her review, Laura Freeman of The Times expressed initial skepticism about "once-in-a-century" exhibitions but stated, "In this case, believe the hype."

She described it as "a beautifully put-together exhibition about a blisteringly original vision."

Jonathan Jones from The Guardian was also effusive in his praise, calling the "daring" show one that "loves him as he deserves."

He added that Van Gogh is portrayed as "the first completely rule-breaking modernist" who becomes "ever more radical."

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