Vincent Willem Van Gogh was born #OTD (Zundert, Netherlands 30 March 1853 – Auvers-sur-Oise, France 29 July 1890). And since it’s also Easter Bunny time, here is a closer look at his two surviving works featuring rabbits, plus a few quotes from his letters where he mentions encounters with rabbits.
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, December 1889
oil on canvas, 32.7 cm x 40.6 cm
F0739 / JH1876
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection/s0099V1962
June 1885-June 1886
chalk on paper, 10.2 x 13.6 cm
F1693a / JH0992
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection/d0412-059V1962
And this morning Cor, who’s on holiday, and I went to the heath and the pine-wood again, a way past Molenend,18 and went to fetch heather for his rabbits, which are apparently very fond of it, for it’s their natural food for a good part, as well as a thing or two to fill a flower basket.
Letter 145: To Theo van Gogh. Etten, Monday, 22 July 1878.
A couple of nights ago a foal was born in the stable here, a nice small creature that was quick to stand firmly on its feet. The workers keep a lot of goats here, and there are young ones in the houses everywhere, just like the rabbits commonly to be found in the workers’ houses.
Letter 151: To Theo van Gogh. Petit-Wasmes, between Tuesday, 1 and Wednesday, 16 April 1879.
Theo, his wife and his child were here on Sunday and we lunched at Dr Gachet’s. Then my little namesake had pretty much his first encounter with the animal kingdom, since there are 8 cats, 3 dogs, as well as hens, rabbits, ducks, pigeons &c. in great numbers around the place.
Letter 885: To Anna van Gogh-Carbentus. Auvers, Friday, 13 June 1890.
Bonus book recommendations:
