About

Look at those old shoes, the tenderness that can be seen in them, the beauty of the everyday that transcends the mundane. Only someone who truly understands life, who knows that these humble details are the true greatness of life, can paint something like this. This work has fascinated me from the very beginning and remains one of my favorite artworks by Van Gogh. It showcases his interest in humility, in rural life. It is said that Van Gogh bought the old shoes at a flea market and wore them for a while, walked through the mud with them until they became dirty enough for him to find them interesting enough to paint.

I grew up next to Zundert, Van Gogh’s birthplace, in a village called Ulvenhout. I recognize the farmhouses with thatched roofs from his work; they are still there. The way Van Gogh painted, looked at life, at nature, his non-conformist way of living, the paintings that unlock all of this, and his beautiful and honest letters. Van Gogh never ceases to captivate me and continues to inspire me in my life. I started Loving Vincent Tours to tell the story of the man behind the myth. The man who inspires me daily and about whom I will never stop learning. Our tours are dynamic, and the aim is to bring you closer to Vincent and inspire you to a life full of determination, courage, and creativity.

With love,
Florentine
(MA, art history)