Tate Britain to explore Van Gogh's British years in 2019 exhibition

Tate Britain announced 'Van Gogh and Britain,' a major exhibition opening March 27, 2019, focusing on Vincent van Gogh's relationship with the United Kingdom. The show examines how British art, literature, and culture inspired the Dutch painter during his London stay from 1873 to 1876, and how he later influenced British artists. Van Gogh arrived as a trainee art dealer and was captivated by modern London, exploring new paths in life, art, and love. He admired works by John Constable and John Everett Millais, and was deeply influenced by writers like Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, and Christina Rossetti. His portrait 'L'Arlésienne' (1890) features a Dickens book. Van Gogh also collected around 2,000 English prints, mostly from the 'Illustrated London News,' and his only London-themed painting, 'Prisoners Exercising,' was inspired by a Gustave Doré print of Newgate Prison. The exhibition highlights his impact on British artists such as Walter Sickert, Francis Bacon, Matthew Smith, Christopher Wood, and David Bomberg. Bacon's portraits based on a Van Gogh self-portrait will be displayed. Tate Britain director Alex Farquharson noted that Van Gogh's time in Britain changed his worldview and encouraged him to become an artist. The last Van Gogh show at Tate was in 1947. The exhibition runs until August 11, 2019.