Feeling a Little Painterly

Boarding the tiny train, on our way!

We recently took a trip to Auvers-sur-Oise, a small town north of Paris.  This town was where Vincent Van Gogh spent the last years of his life, and where he is currently buried.  The town still retains much of its charm, and still looks like it could be straight from the 19th century (minus, of course, the cars).

Still inspiring after all these years.

We approach yet another Notre Dame in France.  This humble little church is quite famous...

It is the subject of one of Vincent Van Gogh's most famous paintings.  As we traveled around the small town, there were signs to mark the locations where Van Gogh sat as he painted some of his works of art.

Van Gogh...

... and me.

Some of the beautiful houses in the town.

Another site for a painting. 

Sure, some of the trees have changed, but you an almost see it as Van Gogh saw it years ago.

Van Gogh

We stop by his grave, along with his brother's, covered in ivy.

The last painting he made was in this field, depicting crows flying in a stormy sky.  Was it a preview of what was to come?

Van Gogh

Perhaps the most "changed", and also most disappointing view, was for Van Gogh's landscape overlooking the river Oise.

What it used to look like:

Van Gogh

What it looks like now:

Complete with a parking lot!  Some things change...

 Getting a closer look at L'Oise.

Van Gogh wasn't the only person to come here to paint.  Another painting of L'Oise was painted here by Daubigny.

 

The building that Vincent Van Gogh lived in, renting the upper room.

Across the street was the city  hall, which was basically unchanged in the last hundred years!

And some things stay the same.

Spring tulips

 Next, we visit the Chateau of Auvers-sur-Oise.  Dylan climbs into the fountain for a picture with Bram.

The castle grounds.

 

Some of the old street names still remain.

We also visited the house of Dr. Gachet, a good friend of Van Gogh.  His house now serves to hold some modern art exhibits.  In the grounds was this one - flowers made of all sorts of metals, including a Shiner Bock crate!

More interesting flowers.

Inside the home.

This neat window has some interesting optical properties.  Half of the panels are lenses, which show an inverted image of the world outside.

We wander farther and farther from the center of town.

 

And find another before and after....

Van Gogh, then...

...and now.

This time it's Paul Cezanne.

Paul Cezanne, then...

... and now.

 Meanwhile, Dylan meets the black sheep of the family.

Overall it's a beautiful little town.  One that still inspires artists today.  Even me!



The town still has a huge number of artists per capita.  You could tell from the number of art galleries, and the murals that lined the tunnels of the train station.

The kitty rises.