bert feringa                                         painter

Vincent van Gogh stayed almost 3 months in Drenthe. First 2 weeks in more civilized Hoogeveen  and the rest of the time in far away New Amsterdam. He deliberately chose the solitude of what he called "the backyard of Drenthe". Tired of complicated urban life he was looking for ultimate pureness. The white spot on the map held the promise of an unspoiled innocent world.  May be he thought this was a perfect or necessary environment to force a breakthrough in his development as a painter. Romantic van Gogh was charmed by the vast landscape, decorated with shabby small houses and poor hardworking people. He was elated by the ugly faces he saw and compared them in a letter with the farmers on paintings of the 17th century Dutch painter van Ostade.  Eager and at random he drew and painted everything around him and often illustrated his letters to Theo with black en white sketches. During his stay in Drenthe he  sent nine studies (paintings) to his brother in Paris.  Most  of them were landscapes with farms and working people ( his favourite topics) painted in  dark colours.  Compared with other places where he stayed his production in New Amsterdam was small. He had left the Hague with debts and too little painting materials.  Soon it imposed restrictions on his painting activities. He complained about it and asked his brother for money.  Moreover Autumn started soon after his arrival and the rainy weather restricted the possibilities to paint  en plein air. In his modest lodge he did not have a decent study and most of the locals refused to pose as a model. His hope to share his experiences with  fellow painters in the area was idle. Once he made a long journey to the farmers village Zweelo to meet the German painter Max Liebermann. But Liebermann was not there.

Gradually lonesome Vincent realized that his romantic ideas on life in the countryside did not match with the harsh reality of New Amsterdam. He frequently sunk into a deep melancholy mood and finally surrendered. New Amsterdam was his Waterloo.