In 1885, while living in Brabant, Vincent van Gogh painted The Potato Eaters, a darkly visceral work that sees peasant farmers sharing a meal of potatoes. The earthy colors were meant to mimic, Van Gogh said, the “colour of a really dusty potato, unpeeled of course.” The work was greatly criticized in its day, but is now considered a masterpiece. Van Gogh himself thought it the best of all his paintings. This exhibition explores The Potato Eaters and its background, and includes the artist’s preparatory paintings, studies, and sketches. —E.C.