On March 15, 1901, the Bernheim-Jeune gallery put on display a massive collection of 71 paintings by the late Vincent van Gogh. This event was actually his first-ever retrospective exhibit.
Van Gogh had passed away eleven years earlier in 1890, largely unknown and having sold only one painting in his lifetime, The Red Vineyard 1888. However, when the doors opened at Bernheim-Jeune, the reaction was immediate. The gallery, run by the Bernheim-Jeune brothers, Joseph and Gaston, had already built a reputation for supporting avant-garde artists like Cézanne and Courbet.
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The exhibit featured works that captured Van Gogh’s unique ability to turn simple subjects into emotional experiences. One of his most cherished subjects was his own personal space, seen in his famous painting, The Bedroom.
Van Gogh created three versions of this artwork. He originally painted it in 1888 to celebrate moving into his Yellow House in Arles, France. He wanted the painting to express utter repose and relaxation through colors like pale lilac walls, a blood-red bedspread, and a green window. However, to modern viewers, the painting often feels full of nervous energy and instability due to its sharp angles and thick paint.
The 1901 exhibition was a turning point. Before this, Van Gogh’s work had only been shown in small commemorative displays. After the Bernheim-Jeune show, his fame grew rapidly across the globe.
Vincent van Gogh was born in Zundert, Netherlands, in 1853. Before he became a painter, he tried several different careers, working as an art gallery salesman, a teacher, a bookseller, and even a preacher for miners in Belgium.
He finally dedicated himself to art in 1880, starting what is now called his productive decade. He spent the first few years focusing on watercolors and drawings to improve his skills, eventually studying at the Brussels Academy and returning to the Netherlands to draw from nature. His most famous piece from this early era is the 1885 painting The Potato Eaters. This dark, earthy work was inspired by Jean-François Millet, a French artist known for painting scenes of peasant life.
In 1886, Van Gogh moved to Paris to live with his brother, Theo. There, he met Post-Impressionist masters like Gauguin and Seurat. Following Camille Pissarro’s advice, he traded his dark style for the vibrant colors he is now famous for, first succeeding with his Portrait of Père Tanguy (1887).
By 1888, an exhausted Van Gogh moved to Arles, entering his first great period. He painted at an incredible pace, creating his sunflower series and The Night Cafe. However, his dream of an artist community ended in a breakdown; after a tense stay with Gauguin, Van Gogh famously cut off part of his own ear.
He eventually entered an asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in 1889. Despite his declining mental health, he painted the visionary The Starry Night during this time. In 1890, after moving to Auvers-sur-Oise, he fell into a deep depression and shot himself, dying on July 29 in Theo’s arms.
While he had small shows during his life and shortly after his death, it wasn’t until the 1901 Bernheim-Jeune exhibition that the world recognized him as a master.
The Bernheim-Jeune gallery eventually closed its doors in 2019 after 150 years.
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