Andrea Marechal Watson highlights exhibitions being held in London, West Sussex, Bilbao and Madrid
and looks into a combined art and wine walking tour in the Chianti region of Italy
Vincent van Gogh Prisoners Exercising | 1890 Oil on canvas ©The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow
This is another blockbuster exhibition sponsored by EY (formerly Ernst & Young) at the Tate Britain following those by Picasso and Bonnard. This time the name in the frame is Van Gogh, with famous works like ‘Sunflowers’ and ‘Starry Night’ brought alongside other lesser knows, including the deeply moving ‘Prisoners Exercising’ painted at the Saint-Paul Asylum.
The tenuous crux of the show is Van Gogh’s time in Britain and the influence of British artists like Constable and Millais on him. Aged 20 Van Gogh spent less than two years in London, living in Brixton and working for the art dealers Goupil & Co with whom he soon quarrelled over their commoditisation of art. How prescient you might think! Nevertheless this is the biggest assembly of works by Van Gogh 10 years so join the queues and if you are sensitive about the fate of this tragic genius, seen here in the sublime Self Portrait on loan from Washington, bring a hanky.
Until August 11th at Tate Britain, Embankment, London, UK
www.tate.org.uk
