The power of colours

Invention

The invention of synthetic pigments provided a rich supply of colour with which artists could express themselves easily and quickly in colour on paper. From powdery pastels to fresh washes of watercolour. Artists consciously embraced spontaneous sketching by adding a flourish. The boundary between finished and unfinished became blurred.

The makers saw drawings in colour as full-fledged works of art and exhibited them alongside their paintings. The works were often smaller and more affordable than the paintings and thus became interesting for a new target group: the wealthy bourgeoisie.

The works in this exhibition are rarely shown due to their fragility, which makes it special that they are now on display.

Collection highlighted

For decades, the Van Gogh Museum has been collecting pastels and watercolours by predecessors, contemporaries and followers of Vincent van Gogh. In addition to drawings by Van Gogh, this small-scale exhibition also features works by Jean-François Millet, Camille Pissarro, Paul Gauguin, Odilon Redon, Henry Somm, Louis Anquetin and Armand Guillaumin.

This exhibition can be seen on the 2nd floor of the Rietveld Building from January 16 to May 25, 2025.

Opening hours

The Van Gogh Museum has varying opening hours every month. Therefore, read the times mentioned on our website as an indication and visit the Van Gogh Museum website for the current opening hours on the date of your visit.