By Marcia Abramson
It is almost 50 years since the American reading public was introduced to Irving Stones' novel, "Lust for Life" and the tragic genius, Vincent Van Gogh. The movie version soon followed with a masterful performance by Kirk Douglas' of the life of the troubled artist. The film introduced many American audiences for the first time to the artistry of this world famous artist. But now the Philadelphia Museum of Art will launch the first comprehensive museum
presentation devoted to the
portraiture of "Van Gogh: Face to Face" within driving distance from Long Island on October 22, 2000, through January 4, 2001. More than 70 drawings and paintings have been acquired through loans from private collections and museums throughout the world for this exhibit. Some have never been seen in the United States before they were shown in Detroit and Boston prior to Philadelphia. This is the last showing on this hemisphere.
Face to Face: introduces us to the artist's fascination with the human form. Prior to this we were all entranced by his paintings of "Sunflowers and the Arles landscapes." To understand Van Gogh, I think it is essential to know that he was the son of a Dutch Reformed pastor, that he served as a clerk in the Hague's art galleries before he went to London and Paris. He spent three years studying theology in Amsterdam. After two years, he went on to serve as an evangelist to struggling miner in the coal mining region in Belgium. In his third year, he abandoned his religious endeavors and began a full-time dedication to becoming an artist. He took up residence in the Hague and received a monthly stipend from his brother, Theo. This stipend did not afford him the luxury of hiring models. He therefore used street people which included old-age pensions which resulted in his drawing of the Orphan Man with Top Hat which hangs in the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam and the wounded Veteran which is in the Fogg Art Museums, in Cambridge. These works represent the inherent dignity of these unfortunate men to Van Gogh and the world.
Van Gogh was never free from controversy and his stand that peasants working the land were the true subjects of modern art brought him great hostility from the traditional art world. The negative criticism of The Potato Eaters forced him to leave the Hague and never return to Holland. His later exposure to the Parisian avant-garde artists such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Gauguin and Georges Seurat introduced him to the Impressionist palette of bright clear colors and resulted in this abandonment of the drab browns and grays of his Dutch paintings. Self-Portrait is a perfect example of his new use of color and also resulted from his inability to afford professional models. He painted his own image many times to satisfy his need for portraiture. Five impressive self-portraits are on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This is a stunning presentation and has resulted in great enthusiasm and excitement in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, which is also reflected in relationship of Vincent and Theo Van Gogh. As a matter of fact, the Philadelphia-Area Hotels, Restaurants and Amtrak are offering exclusive packages for the Van Gogh: Face to Face exhibit.
The travels of Vincent Van Gogh to The Hague, Drenthe and Nuenen in the Netherlands, Paris, Arfles, Saint-Remy and Auvers in France shows how he was inspired by the local people and landscapes in his paintings. It is said that his interpretations of his world influenced the way the average person looks at the world.
The hotel packages are offered by 10 outstanding hotels which include an overnight stay for two, VIP admission to the Museum, continental breakfast for two and overnight parking. I am delighted to see that some of my favorite hotels are participating. The newly refurbished Ritz -Carlton is a really choice destination in addition to the luxurious Inn at Penn, the new University of Pennsylvania facility, the five-star Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, Loews Philadelphia Hotel with its Generation G program for intergenerational travel, as well as The Rittenhouse Hotel, Sofitel Philadelphia, Omni Hotel at Independence Place, Best Western Center City Hotel and the Courtyard by Marriott.
Further values are included in lunch packages with a guided tour of Van Gogh: Face to Face. Prices for the lunch and tour range from $43 per person at the Museum Restaurant's "Artist's Table Brunch," and the City Tavern, $46 at Rembrandt's, the restaurant with reproductions of the Dutch Master and a dramatic view of the city skyline, to $48 at The Ritz Carlton's Paris Bar and Grill. The Ritz-Carlton is deserving of a visit for not only its "gourmet simplicity" menu, but its magnificent decor. Toto Restaurant is considered one of Philly's most exquisite restaurants and is also in the $48 price range for lunch and museum tour. The Striped Bass restaurant boasts a breathtaking marble columned setting with a menu of outstanding fresh seafood-with a price tag of $63 per person. Another restaurant on my "recommend" list is Le Bec-Fin for its classic French cuisine and elegant ambiance. It is rated tops by gourmets throughout the country. The lunch and tour costs $68 per person at Le Bec-Fin.
