Van Gogh House and Other Van Gogh Experiences
2021 is definitely the year of Van Gogh in London. There are two mind-blowing immersive experiences running parallelly in the capital, Van Gogh Alive and Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience.
Some of you, who have visited or are planning to visit those exhibitions might want to know a bit more about the painter, his life, and career.
Did you that he lived in London for a short period of time and became deeply inspired by English art and literature?
Van Gogh House
Photo: Urban Adventurer
The young Vincent van Gogh arrived in London in 1873. He lived in several houses in all around the capital before settling down at 87 Hackford Road, Stockwell, and continued living there for a whole year. This was his very first time to live and work in a foreign country.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Van Gogh House was opened in the Summer of 2019, after being purchased by James Wang and Alice Childs at an auction in 2012. Seeing the cultural potential in the house, the new owners started a 7-year conservation work. They wanted to preserve as much existing materials as possible. Thanks to that, visitors can walk on the original floor today – that’s why high-heels are not permitted in the house.
Original wood floor and fireplace.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
The main vision was not just opening a museum to Vincent van Gogh’s time here, but an inspiring and productive space to support contemporary artists, hold exhibitions, and events. – says Alice Childs.
Van Gogh House will launch their first exhibition in September:
‘Life and Its Most Trivial Particulars’.
Fun Fact: It was a van Gogh enthusiast postman who actually found out that this was the house where the painter lived.
Treasures Found During Renovation
A prayer book and other documents found during renovation.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
During the renovation process lots of original objects and documents were found in the house, such as a handmade wooden camera, a Census from 1871, the house’s original insurance documents, and even a prayer book that had been printed by the company van Gogh was working for at that time in London.
Handmade wooden camera found in Van Gogh House during renovation.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Guided Tours
Tour guide showing an original vase found in the house during renovation.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Van Gogh House offers guided tours to visitors during which you can learn more about the house’s most famous tenant, the house’s architecture, and history and even a short walk nearby to set the local context.
Van Gogh Walking Tour is an extensive tour (3.5 miles) brings visitors back in the early 1870s by visiting Victoria Embarkment, crossing River Themes on the Westminster Bridge – van Gogh once sketched the bridge on a notepaper.
Fun Fact: The distance between 87 Hackford Road and Covent Garden, where van Gogh worked at that time, is 3.5 miles. Van Gogh alleged that he walked the distance within 45 minutes.
Van Gogh in London
Van Gogh’s room was on the second floor in 87 Hackford Road
Photo: Urban Adventurer
“I enjoy the walk from home to the office and in the evening from the office back home. It takes about three-quarters of and hour.”
– Vincent van Gogh to his brother, Theo van Gogh, September 1873
Van Gogh loved his time in London. He walked to his office to Coven Garden whenever he could, while exploring the city. He visited many of the parks and cultural spots by foot, including Hyde Park, V&A Museum, The National Gallery, – where some of his paintings are exhibited today – British Museum, and Royal Academy of Arts.
Interesting Fact: Van Gogh signed National Gallery’s visitor book on his visit. The visitor book was exhibited in Tate in 2019 and in Dulwich Gallery this year.
Deeply Influenced by English Art and Literature
Charles Dickens household edition novels
Photo: Urban Adventurer
“Things are going well for me here, I have a wonderful home and it’s a great pleasure for me to observe London and the English way of life…”
– Vincent van Gogh to his brother, Theo van Gogh, September 1873
Despite of the short period of time Van Gogh lived in London, he developed a great appreciation for English art and literature. Charles Dickens, for example had great influence on van Gogh. As a result, he started showing interest in the daily life of the city’s lower class. That influenced him much later in his career as a painter.
Other Van Gogh Inspired Experiences in London
Café Van Gogh
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Café Van Gogh is a just a stone-throw away from Van Gogh House. The café is beautiful and really gives what it promises. Head upstairs and you will find yourself inside a Van Gogh painting.
They are a vegan, zero waste restaurant, supporting people with mental illness. If that’s not enough, they are dog friendly, too. So, feel free to visit them with your furry best friend.
Scott’s Mayfair Restaurant
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Taking inspiration from Vincent van Gogh, Scott’s Mayfair Restaurant transformed their outside seating area into a sunflower garden. An oversized sunflower installation welcomes the restaurant’s guests in full bloom and bursting colours. Sunflowers are symbol of re-birth and resilience.
‘The Sunflower Palette’
Image Source: @scottsmayfair
The restaurant showcases a new limited-edition sunflower-themed dessert arriving on a painter’s palette tableside and a gin cocktail mixed from ‘edible paint’ for their guests until the end of September.
Van Gogh Afternoon Tea – Hotel Café Royal
Image Source: Hotel Café Royal
In partnership with Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, Hotel Café Royal launched their Van Gogh Afternoon Tea in July.
Their promise is to take their guests in a historical magical journey to taste Van Gogh’s most famous artworks, such as his self-portrait, sunflowers, and even his paintbrush.
Paint Like van Gogh
Image Source: Unsplash
Learn to draw and paint like Van Gogh. Learn how to use colours and unleash your creativity with wine glass in one hand and paintbrush in the other.
Pop up painting events will appear in different locations throughout London during September and October.
You can browse and book the events on Eventbrite.
National Gallery
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Located in Trafalgar Square National Gallery is home to the most famous painters’ artworks. Their impressive collection includes some of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings, including the famous “Sunflowers”. Find them in Room 43.
Ready for your next adventure? Go for an evening walt in Covent Garden and admire the dazzling neon installations.