In the United States, the Cincinnati Art Museum is having a special exhibition currently running titled Conserving Van Gogh. During designated times, visitors will have an opportunity to see Van Gogh’s painting Undergrowth with Two Figures, 1890 undergo stabilizing and cleaning by chief conservator Per Knutas. 

If you are in Europe, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has an incredible collection of Van Gogh’s works in addition to several special exhibitions such as Van Gogh’s studio practice: Canvases re-used and Bedroom secrets: Restoration of a masterpiece both opening June 10 as well as Van Gogh in Antwerp and Paris: New perspectives opening June 22. 

The National Gallery in London is taking Van Gogh outdoors this summer by recreating the artist’s famous painting A Wheatfield with Cypresses out of plants on a wall outside the museum.

If you happen to be in Korea, the exhibition Dream and Reality: Masterpieces from Musee d’Orsay opened in the Seoul Art Center’s Hangaram Art Museum on Saturday and runs through September 25.    The exhibition features Van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhone as well as famous works by Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cezanne, Gauguin and others.

These are just a few of opportunities museum goers have to see Van Gogh works this summer.  If you know of others in your area, please comment and share!

While the paintings of Michelangelo, Botticelli, Velazquez, Rembrandt, Rubens, and Raphael are just a few of those on display, our visit focused in on room 45 –  Van Gogh and Cezanne.  Although the room contained the works of Cezanne, Gauguin, Camille Pissarro, Vuillard, Rousseau and Toulouse-Lautrec, the crowds hovered on the wall containing the Van Goghs.  The central painting on this wall is Sunflowers.  This iconic work is even more vibrant to see in person with the rich golds and yellows and the accents of blue, which you don’t notice as much on screen or in print as in person. 

The National Gallery, London

To the far left was Van Gogh’s Chair.  What struck me most about seeing this painting hanging in the museum along with the other Van Gogh paintings was the size.  Measuring 91.8 x 73 cm (3ft x 2.3 ft), it is incredible to think that Van Gogh created over 800 paintings in such a short time frame when some of them are this size.  Besides the size, the number of colors used in this painting to create the varying shades of the yellow chair and the terracotta tile are too many to count.

To the far right was A Wheatfield, with Cypresses.  Seeing this painting in person, I came to appreciate all of the smaller details in this work.  The little red and white flowers and the blades of grass suddenly come into focus when you are standing in front of this painting.

In addition to these works, Van Gogh’s Long Grass with Butterflies and Mother by a Cradle (Leonie-Rose Davy-Charbury) are both exceptional works in the museum collection although somewhat overshadowed by the previous three mentioned.

If you are planning a trip to London, The National Gallery, with its free admission, outstanding Van Gogh collection, and extraordinary works by other famous artists, should not be missed.

Completing its tour of Japan next year will be the exhibit Van Gogh: the adventure of becoming an artist.  With works from the Van Gogh Museum and the Kröller-Müller Museum, this exhibition examines Van Gogh’s techniques as he developed as an artist.  In 2011, this exhibition can be seen at the Kyusyu National Museum from Jan 1 – February 13 and then at the Nagoya City Art Museum from February 22 – April 10. 

From March 24 to May 20, The Van Gogh Museum and the Keukenhof Gardens are offering a special promotion called Van Gogh in bloom for visitors to see the “Blossom” exhibition at the Van Gogh museum as well as the flowers at the Keukenhof including a flower mosaic of Van Gogh’s Self-portrait with felt hat.  In addition the package price includes an canal cruise in Amsterdam as well as bus transportation in between Amsterdam and Lisse.

In August, Van Gogh’s Self Portrait with Felt Hat becomes part of the Masterpiece a Month: Presiding Genius exhibition at the Dulwich Picture Gallery in London.  The Dulwich Picture Gallery, a gallery Van Gogh visited in 1873 while living in London, will display Van Gogh’s painting in 2011 as part of the gallery’s 200th anniversary. 

If you know of an upcoming Van Gogh exhibition, please feel free to comment and share it with us.

In New York, you can see Van Gogh’s Starry Night in person at the Museum of Modern Art or see several of his other paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.   If you are in Chicago the Art Institute of Chicago has several impressive Van Gogh pieces including The Bedroom.  

And no matter where you are you can always view Van Gogh’s masterpieces by going to the Van Gogh Gallery catalog and filter by city, state, country or museum name to find the Van Goghs closest to you or just browse them online.