vincent.is.back

slightly over an hour drive to the national park de hoge veluwe and another 5.8km bicycle ride to the museum. perhaps you chose the wrong entrance, at the entrance of the park you're told the distance to the museum is 5.8 km.

so you walked to the bicycle stand, grab a white bicycle that isn't too shabby and ride into the woods.

it's not raining but there's enough dampness in the air and you feel wet.
the fresh air, something you have take for granted and now you breath in the super fresh air as you ride in the woods. the subtle sounds of the foliage crushed as your bicycle wheels rode on them. the natural sound of music in the woods compose by the whispers from the various insects or birds.

 he is always ahead of you, so occasionally he has to stop and wait for you...
finally you reached the museum which technically located at the center of the national park.

there're a number of exhibitions, you first visit the arte povera. literally means the poor arts showcase by various italian artists...

quite an interesting exhibition when you finally grasp the message the artist try to project ^^

the highlight for you is "vincent is back". it amazed you the rich collection of the work of van gogh by this museum alone.

you can easily recognized these paintings are from him even though these may not be of the highest selling price. the still life of flowers are the same time or series from the famous sun flowers, the cafe outside aix-en-provence is painted around the same time as he painted the bedroom painting...  these are the colorful paintings that he created during his time in southern france.
the exhibition also shows the first series of his painting in the native land which is primarily dark and black in color, very solemn and heavy. it amazed you how the weather can transform someone paintings drastically from dark/black to bold colors. it's must be the sun shine of the provence. you just visited that area and you can recognize the sunshine index and its impact on one life. you feel so energetic and active down south surrounded by blue sea, blue sky and colorful sights even in the winter.

 there are other painters of the same time, cezanne, monet and a few others of course you couldn't tell now these paintings were created by which master...

you both like this painting very much. it's so alive especially the illustration of the light (which may not be clearly seen in the photo) but it's really an awesome master piece.

you wanted to check out the outdoor sculptures after you are done with the exhibition but it was late enough, well perhaps not late but the sky is getting dark and given that you have to ride another 5.8km back to your car park, it's wise to start the journey before the woods is completed dark.
the return cycling trip is not as pleasant as your going. it's drizzling and your glasses stained with rain and hardly see the cycling path clearly. you just didn't enjoy it and have to stop a few time to clean your glasses.
in short you made it to the car park, exhausted. wet and tired.
nonetheless, it's an interesting journey. it's demonstrate that you are not confine by the dutch weather to go outdoor, and you certainly will come back to the park again for the the outdoor sculptures but definitely when the days are brighter in spring or summer.