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.

The Potato Eaters: Mistake or Masterpiece?
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Van Gogh Museum / Amsterdam / Art
Van Gogh Museum / Amsterdam / Art
Vincent van Gogh, “The Potato Eaters,” 1885. Courtesy of the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. Vincent van Gogh Foundation.
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