Andrea LaraJosué de la Peña

• The Van Gogh Museum is an art museum in Amsterdam in the Netherlands dedicated to the works of Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries. It is located at the Museum Square in Amsterdam

• The Van Gogh Museum consists of two buildings: the main structure designed by Gerrit Rietveld and opened in 1973, and the Exhibition Wing by Kisho Kurokawa completed in 1999. The architecture of the museum has a complex history: apart from these two architects, several others have contributed to finishing, rebuilding or remodelling parts of both buildings.

• Amsterdam Van Gogh Museum maintains the world’s largest collection of the works of Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), his paintings, drawings and letters, completed with the art of his contemporaries. Each year, 1.6 million visitors come to the Van Gogh Museum, making it one of the 25 most popular museums in the world.

All about the museum

A visit to the Van Gogh Museum is a unique experience. The museum contains the largest collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh in the world. It provides the opportunity to keep track of the artists developments, or compare his paintings to works by other artist from the 19th century in the collection. The museum also holds an extensive offer of exhibitions on various subjects from 19th Century art history.

Fishing Boats on the Beach at Saintes-Maries, Arles

Permanent collection• The collection features the works

of Vincent van Gogh – more than 200 painting, 500 drawings but also works of other artists, his contemporaries – Impressionists and Postimpressionists. Van Gogh's work is organized chronologically into five periods, each representing a different period of his life and work: The Netherlands, Paris, Arles, Saint-Remy and Auvers-sur-Oise. The museum made part of its collection accessible on Internet through

The feel

Even if you are not a big Van Gogh lover, do not miss this museum. Its modern main building was designed by Gerrit Rietveld, completed by his partners after his death (opened in 1973), with later built elliptical exhibition wing by Kisho Kurokawa (opened in 1999). Both give a visitor brilliant space to admire art works, to look and to breathe. While this is one of the most crowded museums in the world, you will always be able to find there your private moment to admire Van Gogh’s genius.

Collection

The collection originally belonged to Theo van Gogh (1857-1891), Vincent's younger brother. Following Theo's death, it passed to his widow, Johanna van Gogh. Although a number of works were sold, she retained a major group, representing all phases of Van Gogh's work. On her death in 1925, her son, Vincent Willem van Gogh inherited the collection. In 1962, on the initiative of the Dutch state, he transferred the works to the Vincent van Gogh Foundation. They are now on permanent loan to the Van Gogh Museum and form the nucleus of its collection.

Financing new acquisitions

The Van Gogh Museum receives a subsidy from the government which goes towards the running costs of the museum. In addition, the museum derives income from ticket sales and the museum store. All profits from the museum store and online shop are spent on acquiring new works of art for the permanent collection.

Self-Portrait with Felt Hat, 1888

• Van Gogh painted this self-portrait in the winter of 1887-1888, when he had been living in Paris for nearly two years. Since his arrival in the city he had devoted much study to the dotted Pointillist technique

Wheatfield with Crows, 1890

Wheatfield with Crows is one of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings and probably the one most subject to speculation. It was executed in July 1890, in the last weeks of Van Gogh’s

life.

Sunflowers, 1889

was August, the sunflowers were blooming, and Van Gogh desperately wanted to capture them in a series of 12 pictures. He painted the series to decorate the room where Paul Gauguin would stay when he arrived in Arles. He chose this subject because his friend had previously admired his paintings of sunflowers.

The bedroom, 1888

Here, Van Gogh has depicted his bedroom in the Yellow House, furnished with simple pine furniture and his own paintings