In de voetsporen van Vincent van Gogh in den mijnbouw- en riet velden wat een desolate streek, de verlaten huizen en heersende armoede..ook nu nog een ervaring, nabij Bergen, Mons, st. Gishlaine. Hij heeft daar rondgelopen door deze velden bizar toch..het kerkje

Zijn huisje is nu een klein museum en je voelt aan de omgeving het kille harde leven, echt overleven geweest. Vincent wat een contrasten, hij moet eens weten. Wat een geschiedenis, is toch Koekkoek. De erkenning van nu en dan in je leven doeken gebruiken om het dak te repareren of als isolatie, geen inkomen , op ze minst bijzonder.

1e foto kolenmijn Marcasse Masse 2e foto zijn huis anno nu 3e foto de streek ten tijde Van Gogh, nu erfgoed met enorme bergen steenkool

Vincent van Gogh had a significant connection to **Belgium**, where he lived, worked, and developed his early artistic vision. Here’s a breakdown of his time there and the Belgian locations tied to his legacy: --- ### **1. Van Gogh in the Borinage (1878–1880) – A Turning Point** - **Why Belgium?** Van Gogh moved to the **Borinage**, a poor coal-mining region in southern Belgium, as a **Protestant missionary**. - **Life Among Miners**: He lived in extreme poverty, giving away his belongings to workers, which led the church to dismiss him. - **Artistic Awakening**: After his religious crisis, he began drawing seriously, inspired by the miners’ harsh lives. His early works (like *"The Bearers of the Burden"*) reflect this period. #### **Key Locations in the Borinage:** - **Cuesmes (near Mons)**: Lived in a small house (now the **Maison Van Gogh**, a museum). - **Wasmes**: Preached at a church (now the **Église Protestante Van Gogh**). - **Marcasse Mine**: Sketched miners descending into dangerous pits. --- ### **2. Brussels (1880–1881) – Formal Art Training** - After the Borinage, Van Gogh moved to **Brussels** to study art. - **Self-Taught but Influenced**: He copied works by **Millet**, studied anatomy, and befriended artist **Anthon van Rappard**. - **No Major Works Survive**: Most sketches from this time are lost. #### **Brussels Sites Linked to Van Gogh:** - **Royal Academy of Fine Arts** (where he briefly studied). - **Van Gogh’s Lodgings** (near Place du Luxembourg). --- ### **3. Van Gogh’s Legacy in Belgium Today** #### **Museums & Exhibitions:** - **BAM (Mons Fine Arts Museum)** – Holds exhibits on his Borinage period. - **Maison Van Gogh (Cuesmes)** – A small museum in his former home. - **Brussels’ Art Scene** – Occasionally features his early works. #### **Monuments & Trails:** - **"Van Gogh in the Borinage" Walking Trail** – Visits key sites in Cuesmes and Wasmes. - **Mons 2015 (European Capital of Culture)** – Highlighted his Borinage years. --- ### **Why Belgium Matters in Van Gogh’s Story** - **From Preacher to Artist**: His time in Belgium marked his transition to becoming an artist. - **Early Social Realism**: His sketches of miners foreshadowed his later focus on peasants (e.g., *"The Potato Eaters"*). - **Underrated Influence**: Unlike France, Belgium’s role in his life is often overlooked. --- ### **Did Van Gogh Paint in Belgium?** Most surviving works are **drawings** from the Borinage. His first major paintings came later in the **Netherlands (1881–1885)** and **France (1886–1890)**.