A moment with the selfie king
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands:
One of the joys of travelling is to be able to see up close and personal the works of famous people who are well known in their respective chosen fields.
If I remember it well, it was during my high school days that I learnt and came across the names of some famous Dutch artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Rembrandt. Another one is Johannes Vermeer, the artist who painted the Girl with a Pearl Earring.
In the world of drawing and painting, undoubtedly one of the well-known artists is Vincent Willem van Gogh. Many of his works are on display in Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. He produced more than 800 oil paintings and 700 drawings, including self-portraits during his active artistic career of ten years. Some say that because of his many famous self-portrait paintings, he is considered as the original selfie king. By the way, it’s not a selfie from mobile phone or camera but a selfie through painting – and that is real dedication! (That made me feels better as I’m a selfie addict too, and thanks to burst mode. Though I hope it’s not a sign of a disorder that eventually leads to depression that could trigger me to cut my ear off.)
Vincent van Gogh’s works are worth millions of dollars nowadays; but sadly during his lifetime, he sold only one painting. His life is maybe not as glamorous as his works that are now considered as masterpieces after he’s gone; he suffered from severe depression. Apparently, at the age of 37, he decided to take his own life. To this day he continues to inspire art lovers and many people around the world emulate his style of painting as post-impressionist.
For more details about Vincent van Gogh, please click here.
“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” – Vincent van Gogh
There are many museums in Amsterdam; visiting the Van Gogh Museum is one that should not be missed. Aside from Van Gogh’s, works of other artists are also on display. Please click here to know more about Van Gogh Museum.
