ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Van Gogh Museum Opens 'In the Picture' Exploring 19th-Century Portraiture

exhibition · 2026-04-27

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has opened a new exhibition titled 'In the Picture,' which highlights the importance of portraits and self-portraits in art from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. Featuring 75 works by famous artists like Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch, Gustave Courbet, and others, the show examines themes like identity and self-reflection. A key highlight is van Gogh's self-portraits, including the iconic 'Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear' from 1889, which is on loan from the Courtauld Gallery in London. Associate Curator Lisa Smit pointed out that the way artists crafted their self-images parallels today's social media. The exhibition runs until May 24, 2020, at Museumplein 6 in Amsterdam.

Key facts

  • Exhibition 'In the Picture' opened at Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
  • Focuses on portraits and self-portraits from mid-19th to early 20th century
  • 75 works by artists including van Gogh, Munch, Courbet, Bernard, Bacon, Schjerfbeck, Schwartze, Sargent
  • Explores themes of identity, role, and introspection
  • Artist portrait became a popular subgenre during this period
  • Van Gogh's 'Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear' (1889) on loan from Courtauld Gallery, London
  • Associate Curator Lisa Smit commented on parallels with social media self-presentation
  • Exhibition runs until May 24, 2020

Entities

Artists

  • Vincent van Gogh
  • Edvard Munch
  • Gustave Courbet
  • Emile Bernard
  • Francis Bacon
  • Helene Schjerfbeck
  • Thérèse Schwartze
  • John Singer Sargent

Institutions

  • Van Gogh Museum
  • Courtauld Gallery

Locations

  • Amsterdam
  • Netherlands
  • London
  • United Kingdom

Sources