Tulip Fields near The Hague
Currently on view
Claude Monet (1840 - 1926), 1886
oil on canvas, 66 cm x 81.5 cm
Credits: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (this work is part of the Netherlands Art Property Collection (Nederlands Kunstbezit-collectie) consisting of works recovered from Germany after World War II and held in trust by the Dutch State. The work is on loan to the Van Gogh Museum)
Monet was profoundly struck by the vibrant colours of the Dutch tulip fields. In the spring of 1886, he wrote, ‘It’s impossible to convey with our poor colours.’ Although Monet had visited the Netherlands before, this was his first attempt at painting this sea of flowers. After returning to Paris, he sold the picture through the art dealership of Boussod, Valadon & Cie, where Theo van Gogh worked.
Theo had been writing to his brother Vincent with admiration for Monet since 1885. When Vincent moved to Paris in 1886, he was finally able to witness firsthand what his brother had been describing. Gradually, Vincent became an admirer of Monet’s swift brushstrokes and bright colours. It is entirely possible that he saw this painting at Theo’s gallery.