On Saturday the National Gallery in London opens its doors for its new Van Gogh exhibition, remarkably the first in its 200-year history. Exactly 100 years ago, the National purchased Van Gogh’s Sunflowers for £1,304, a bargain even for the times.
Far from a safe bet, guaranteed to bring in the crowds, Van Gogh was considered a rather risky addition in 1924. Slipping under the National Gallery’s 1900 cut-off date – later works go to the Tate – by just a decade, he is a visionary modernist among old masters. His paintings might be the stuff of a million tea towels today, but there is nothing dusty or cosy about Van Gogh.
