Van Gogh in Spring |

Now that spring has sprung, trees are beginning to bud and the grass is starting to turn green, it brings to mind Van Gogh and his feverish work in the spring to capture all of the color, light and beauty of the season. Van Gogh approached spring with an eagerness to not only enjoy the rebirth of nature in spring, but to also share the colors of life in everything he saw and painted. In a letter to his mother from February 20, 1890 Van Gogh wrote,

“These last days we have had rather bad weather here, but today it was a real spring day, and the fields of young wheat, with the violet hills in the distance, are so beautiful, and the almond trees are beginning to blossom everywhere.”

While living in Arles in the spring of 1888 Van Gogh was captivated by the flowering trees and orchards in bloom. On April 2, 1888, Vincent wrote to his brother Theo,

“I’m in a fever of work since the trees are in blossom and I want to do a Provençal orchard full of enormous brightness.”

Some of his works from this time include Pink Peach Tree in Blossom, 1888, The White Orchard, 1888 and Orchard in Blossom Bordered by Cypresses, 1888 shown below.

Van Gogh’s depiction of spring is timeless. Although the trees and flowers may not be the same in different parts of the globe, the beauty of spring can be seen all over the world. If you are visiting The Netherlands this spring, you can experience a bit of nature along with Van Gogh at both The Van Gogh Museum and the Keukenhof Gardens. Van Gogh in Bloom is a package promotion for visitors to see the “Blossom” exhibition at the Van Gogh museum as well as the beautiful tulips and other flowers at the Keukenhof including a flower mosaic of Van Gogh’s Self-portrait with felt hat.

Wherever you are this spring, take a moment to stop and enjoy the view.