Bridge and Houses on the Corner of Herengracht-Prinsessegracht, The Hague

Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890), The Hague, March 1882

pencil, pen and brush and ink, watercolour, on paper, 24.0 cm x 33.9 cm

Credits (obliged to state): Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)

In 1882, Van Gogh made a series of cityscapes in The Hague (NL) at the request of his uncle Cor. It was his first paid commission after becoming an artist less than two years earlier. This work is a 'portrait' of part of the stately old city of The Hague: the bridge at the corner of Herengracht and Prinsessegracht. Van Gogh had a hard time drawing the bridge in accurate perspective. So he changed its shape slightly, as shown by a photograph of the same bridge. Uncle Cor was satisfied and ordered another series of cityscapes, this time of Amsterdam.