Willem-Jan Verlinden, author of The Van Gogh Sisters (De Zussen Van Gogh) will give a talk on the unique life story of the three Van Gogh sisters, based on the letters they wrote as well as on family documents. The Van Gogh family consisted of six children, amongst whom Vincent and Theo from early on enjoyed widespread appreciation for their artistic skills. But how did the other children of the family fare? In his lecture The Van Gogh Sisters, author and art historian Willem-Jan Verlinden frees the three daughters of the Van Gogh family from their brothers’ shadow. Often using their own words, Verlinden presents a fascinating account of the (young) ladies and the turbulent developments of the latter half of the nineteenth century and the fin de siècle. The talk will focus on Vincent, his sister Anna in London and their house on Hackford Road, illustrated with many letters and images that have never appeared before.
About the author
Willem-Jan Verlinden (1971) was born in the town of Helvoirt, attended school in ’s-Hertogenbosch, and studied art history in Leiden. Having worked for various Dutch museums and art foundations for many years, he has become a well-respected advisor in the field of fundraising. Together with Kristine Groenhart, he wrote Hoe ik van Londen houd: Wandelen door het Londen van Vincent van Gogh (How I Love London: Walking through Vincent van Gogh’s London) in 2013. In 2017 Verlinden wrote the first and only book about the Van Gogh sisters, making it unique in its kind. Much of the information contained in this book is completely unknown to both experts on Van Gogh and the public at large. The book is also unique in regards to the source material it relies upon. The author studied hundreds of letters written by the sisters themselves and by other members of the family, as well as a large amount of other family documents.
Event Details:
Date: Thursday 23 May
In English
Location: Dutch Centre
Start: 7pm
Doors open: 6.30pm
Standard Price online: £12 / Student price: £7 / Door price: £15
To buy tickets, please click here
