Getting to Know Van Gogh with Will South
Saturday
October 5, 2019
2:00 pm
Van Gogh is a famous example of artistic genius. It is widely believed that his abilities in painting were beyond the abilities of the average person—that he was special, different, gifted, a genius. This talk examines the notion of genius and asks if there is not a more rational explanation for artistic achievement. CMA Chief Curator Will South looks at the many sources Van Gogh used to arrive at his unique and personal style, many of which are featured in the current exhibition. South provides an alternative to the idea of genius, an alternative that does not diminish Van Gogh but rather widens our appreciation of one of art history’s most enduring legends.
Premier Programming Sponsor: First Citizens Bank
$15 / Free for members. Includes gallery admission.
Vincent van Gogh
Dutch, 1853–1890
Self-Portrait, 1887
Oil on canvas
15 15/16 x 13 3/8 in. (40.3 x 34 cm)
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT, Gift of Philip L. Goodwin in memory of his mother, Josephine S. Goodwin, 1954.189.
Photograph courtesy of Allen Phillips/Wadsworth Atheneum.