What makes a legend in the world of art? In this new exhibition, the Städel Museum in Frankfurt explores the creation of the “legend of Van Gogh” in the early 1900s and examine his significance to modern art in Germany. Featuring over 50 key works from Vincent Van Gogh, the exhibition is the most comprehensive presentation of his life’s work in almost 20 years. 

“Van Gogh is dead, but the Van Gogh people are alive”

The new exhibition, entitled “Making Van Gogh”, seeks to address the special role that gallery owners, museums, private collectors and art critics had in the posthumous reception of Van Gogh as the father of modern art during the early twentieth century.

Although he died in relative obscurity, less than 15 years after his death, Vincent van Gogh began to be perceived as one of the most important precursors of modern painting. At the same time, German artists began to study his works, and he became a source of inspiration for young Expressionists.

The impact of Van Gogh in Germany

The exhibition is divided into three chapters, focusing on the development and impact of his work in Germany. Showcasing the Dutch artist, who once lived in Amsterdam and works are displayed in many Dutch museums, as a pivotal figure for art of the German avant-garde, the Städel unites more than 120 paintings and works on paper in the exhibition, including 50 key works from the artist himself. Covering all his creative phases, these paintings and sketches form the core of the exhibition.

The exhibition also includes 70 pieces by German artists that highlight Van Gogh’s influence on the subsequent generation, including works by Max Beckmann, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Paula Modersohn-Becker. Van Gogh’s rise to fame in Germany is also closely linked with the Städel, which was among the first museums to purchase works from the Dutch artist in 1908.

Visiting Making Van Gogh: A German Love Story

Immerse yourself in the world of Van Gogh and learn more about his impact on modern art in Germany at this exhibition. For more details, to book a guided tour or to get your tickets, go to the Städel Museum website.

Photos: © Städel Museum - Norbert Miguletz