Piles of French Novels
Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890), Paris, October-November 1887
oil on canvas, 54.4 cm x 73.6 cm
Credits (obliged to state): Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
This still life is an ode to modern French literature. The books with yellow covers are not immediately identifiable to 21st-century viewers. But Van Gogh's contemporaries recognised them as modern French paperbacks.
Van Gogh was an avid reader and an admirer of novelists such as the Goncourt brothers and Emile Zola. They offered a realistic, unvarnished perspective on modern life.
The open book in the foreground invites the viewer to come and read.
- F-number
- F0358
- JH-number
- JH1612
- Object number
- s0021V1962
- Dimensions
- 54.4 cm x 73.6 cm, 76.6 cm x 96.2 cm, 6.2 cm
- Provenance
- Left by the artist at the apartment of his brother Theo van Gogh, Paris, October-November 1887; after his death on 25 January 1891, inherited by his widow, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, and their son, Vincent Willem van Gogh, Paris; administered until her death on 2 September 1925 by Jo van Gogh-Bonger, Bussum/Amsterdam/Laren; given on loan by Vincent Willem van Gogh, Laren to the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, from 1927 to 1930; given on loan by Vincent Willem van Gogh to the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, since 22 October 1931; transferred by Vincent Willem van Gogh, Laren, to the Vincent van Gogh Foundation, Amsterdam, 10 July 1962; agreement concluded between the Vincent van Gogh Foundation and the State of the Netherlands, in which the preservation and management of the collection, and its placing in the Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, to be realized in Amsterdam, is entrusted to the State, 21 July 1962; given on loan until the opening of the museum on 2 June 1973 to the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; on permanent loan to the Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh from 2 June 1973 and at the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, since 1 July 1994.
- artist
- Vincent van Gogh
- Credits (obliged to state)
- Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Kleur als Taal. Etel Adnan, 20 May-4 September 2022
Arles, Fondation Vincent van Gogh Arles, Laura Owens & Vincent van Gogh, 19 June-31 October 2021
Frankfurt am Main, Städel Museum, Making Van Gogh. Geschichte einer deutschen Liebe, 23 October 2019-16 February 2020
Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefectural Museum of Art, Van Gogh in Paris. New perspectives, 15 July-23 September 2013
Sendai, Miyagi Museum of Art, Van Gogh in Paris. New perspectives, 26 May-8 July 2013
Kyoto, Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, Van Gogh in Paris. New perspectives, 30 March-19 May 2013
Seoul, Seoul Arts Center, Van Gogh in Paris. A dialogue with modernism, 4 November 2012-24 March 2013
Nagasaki, Huis ten Bosch (Japan), Van Gogh in Paris: New perspectives, 29 July-28 October 2012
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Van Gogh in Antwerpen en Parijs: nieuwe inzichten, 22 June-18 September 2011
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Van Goghs brieven. De kunstenaar aan het woord, 9 October 2009-3 January 2010
Seoul, Seoul Museum of Art, Van Gogh. Voyage into the myth, 24 November 2007-16 March 2008, no. zonder nr.
Brescia, Museo di Santa Giulia, Gauguin/Van Gogh. L'avventura del colore nuovo, 22 October 2005-19 March 2006, no. 89
Nagoya, Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, Van Gogh in context, 26 July-25 September 2005, no. 51
Ōsaka, National Museum of Art, Van Gogh in context, 31 May-18 July 2005, no. 51
Tokyo, National Museum of Modern Art (Tokyo), Van Gogh in context, 23 March-22 May 2005, no. 51
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, De boekenkast van Vincent, 10 March-27 June 2004
Boston, Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Impressionist Still Life, 17 February-9 June 2002, no. zonder nr.
Washington, The Phillips Collection, Impressionist Still Life, 22 September 2001-13 January 2002, no. zonder nr.
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Van Gogh te gast in het Rijksmuseum. Meesterwerken van het Van Gogh Museum, 19 September 1998-2 May 1999
Tokyo, Setagaya Art Museum, Vincent van Gogh and Japan, 4 April-24 May 1992, no. 11
Kyoto, National Museum of Modern Art (Kyoto), Vincent van Gogh and Japan, 18 February-29 March 1992, no. 11
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, Vincent van Gogh en de moderne kunst 1890-1914, 16 November 1990-18 February 1991, no. 15
Essen, Museum Folkwang, Vincent van Gogh und die Moderne 1890-1914, 11 August-4 November 1990, no. 16
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, Van Gogh en zijn Franse vrienden. Het cloisonisme als stijl 1886-1891, 9 April-14 June 1981, no. 12
Toronto, Art Gallery of Ontario, Vincent van Gogh and the Birth of Cloisonism, 24 January-22 March 1981, no. 12
Bern, Kunstmuseum (Bern), Vincent van Gogh. Collection du Musée National Vincent van Gogh à Amsterdam, 25 January-15 April 1973, no. 15
Strasbourg, Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain Strasbourg, Vincent van Gogh. Collection du Musée National Vincent van Gogh à Amsterdam, 22 October 1972-15 January 1973, no. 15
Bordeaux, Musée des Beaux-Arts (Bordeaux), Vincent van Gogh. Collection du Musée National Vincent van Gogh à Amsterdam, 21 April-20 June 1972, no. 15
Paris, Musée de l'Orangerie, Vincent van Gogh. Collection du Musée National Vincent van Gogh à Amsterdam, 21 December 1971-10 April 1972, no. 53
New York, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 14 February-4 April 1971, no. 22
San Francisco, M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 11 December 1970-31 January 1971, no. 22
Baltimore, Baltimore Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 11 October-29 November 1970, no. 22
Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 28 February-5 April 1970, no. 22
Saint Louis, City Art Museum of Saint Louis, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 20 December 1969-1 February 1970, no. 22
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 14 October-1 December 1969, no. 22
London, Hayward Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings of the Vincent van Gogh Foundation Amsterdam, 23 October 1968-12 January 1969, no. 98
Wolfsburg, Stadthalle Wolfsburg, Vincent van Gogh. Gemälde, Aquarelle, Zeichnungen, 18 February-2 April 1967, no. 41
Gothenburg, Göteborgs Konstmuseum, Vincent van Gogh. Målningar, akvareller, teckningar, 30 December 1965-20 February 1966, no. 22
Stockholm, Moderna Museet, Vincent van Gogh. Målningar, akvareller, teckningar, 23 October-19 December 1965, no. 22
Ghent, Museum voor Schone Kunsten (Gent), Vincent van Gogh. Schilderijen, aquarellen, tekeningen, 19 February-28 March 1965, no. 15
Charleroi, Palais des Beaux-Arts (Charleroi), Vincent van Gogh. Schilderijen, aquarellen, tekeningen, 9 January-9 February 1965, no. 15
New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 2 April-28 June 1964, no. 25
Washington, Washington Gallery of Modern Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 2 February-19 March 1964, no. 25
Humlebaek, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Vincent van Gogh. Malerier og tegninger, 24 October-15 December 1963, no. 25
Kansas City, William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art and Mary Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 7 February-26 March 1963, no. 34
Detroit, Detroit Institute of Arts, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 11 December 1962-29 January 1963, no. 34
Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Carnegie Institute, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 18 October-4 November 1962, no. 34
Boston, Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 22 March-29 April 1962, no. 34
Buffalo (New York), Albright Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 30 January-11 March 1962, no. 34
Cleveland, Cleveland Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 5 December 1961-14 January 1962, no. 34
Baltimore, Baltimore Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 18 October-26 November 1961, no. 34
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Polariteit. Het appolinische en het dionysische in de kunst, 22 July-18 September 1961, no. 48
Toronto, The Art Gallery of Toronto, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings-Drawings / Tableaux-Dessins, 10 February-12 March 1961, no. 34
Winnipeg, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings-Drawings / Tableaux-Dessins, 29 December 1960-31 January 1961, no. 34
Ottawa, National Gallery of Canada, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings-Drawings / Tableaux-Dessins, 17 November-18 December 1960, no. 34
Montréal, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings-Drawings / Tableaux-Dessins, 6 October-6 November 1960, no. 34
Minneapolis, Walker Art Center, Paintings from the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, 27 April-24 May 1959, no. 4
Columbus (Ohio), Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts, Paintings from the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, 20 March-20 April 1959, no. 4
Milwaukee, Milwaukee Art Center, Paintings from the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, 12 February-12 March 1959, no. 4
Boston, Institute of Contemporary Art (Boston), Paintings from the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, 7 January-4 February 1959, no. 4
Paris, Musée National d'Art Moderne, L'Art Hollandais depuis Van Gogh, 6 March-20 April 1958, no. 42
Marseille, Musée Cantini, Vincent van Gogh, 12 March-28 April 1957, no. 25
Rotterdam, Volksuniversiteit (Rotterdam), Vincent van Gogh in Arles. Collection Ir. V.W. van Gogh, 21 December 1956-3 January 1957, no. 1
Breda, Cultureel Centrum Breda, Confrontatie noord/zuid, 30 June-29 July 1956, no. 90
Newcastle upon Tyne, Laing Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings & Drawings, Mainly from the Collection of Ir. V.W. van Gogh, 11 February-24 March 1956, no. 34
Manchester (England), Manchester City Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings & Drawings, Mainly from the Collection of Ir. V.W. van Gogh, 17 December 1955-4 February 1956, no. 34
Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings & Drawings, Mainly from the Collection of Ir. V.W. van Gogh, 29 October-10 December 1955, no. 34
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Vincent van Gogh, 24 June-September 1955, no. 87
Antwerp, Zaal Comité voor Artistieke Werking, Vincent van Gogh, 7 May-19 June 1955, no. 176
New Orleans, Isaac Delgado Museum, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890, 27 March-20 April 1955, no. 12
Miami, Lowe Gallery of the University of Miami, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890, 24 February-20 March 1955, no. 12
Palm Beach (Florida), Society of the Four Arts, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890, 21 January-13 February 1955, no. 12
Willemstad, Curaçaosch Museum, Vincent van Gogh, 19 December 1954-15 January 1955, no. 12
Zurich, Kunsthaus Zürich, Vincent van Gogh, 9 October-21 November 1954, no. 33
Assen, Provinciehuis, Vincent van Gogh in Assen, 7-29 November 1953, no. 15
IJmuiden, Hoogovens, restaurant Walserij Oost, Vincent van Gogh. Exposition in the canteens of the Royal Netherlands Blast Furnaces and Steelworks, 2-12 October 1953, no. 17
Hoensbroek, Kasteel Hoensbroek, Vincent van Gogh, 23 May-27 July 1953, no. 31
Zundert, Parochiehuis, Vincent van Gogh in Zundert, 30 March-20 April 1953, no. 18
Eindhoven, Van Abbemuseum, Vincent van Gogh, 22 March-4 May 1952, no. 19
Enschede, Rijksmuseum Twenthe, Vincent van Gogh, 20 February-16 March 1952, no. 36
Alkmaar, Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar, Tentoonstelling schilderijen van Vincent van Gogh, 1 December 1951-1 January 1952, no. 9
Nijmegen, Waaggebouw, Tentoonstelling schilderijen van Vincent van Gogh, 3-26 November 1951, no. 9
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Hôtel de Sade, Vincent van Gogh en Provence, 5-27 May 1951, no. 25
Grenoble, Musée de Grenoble, Vincent van Gogh, 30 March-2 May 1951, no. 25
Lyon, Musée de Lyon, Vincent van Gogh, 5 February-27 March 1951, no. 25
Hilversum, Raadhuis Hilversum, Tentoonstelling Vincent van Gogh, 7 October-5 November 1950, no. 15
The Hague, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Vincent van Gogh. Collectie ir. V.W. van Gogh, 12 October 1948-10 January 1949, no. 99
Oslo, Kunstnernes Hus, Vincent van Gogh, 24 April-15 May 1948, no. 17
Bergen (Norway), Kunstforening, Vincent van Gogh, 23 March-18 April 1948, no. 17
Glasgow, City Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890. An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings, 21 February-14 March 1948, no. 32
Birmingham (England), City Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890. An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings, 24 January-14 February 1948, no. 32
London, Tate Gallery, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890. An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings, 10 December 1947-14 January 1948, no. 32
Groningen, Museum van Oudheden, Vincent van Gogh, 18 October-16 November 1947, no. 45
Geneva, Musée Rath, 172 oeuvres de Vincent van Gogh (1852-1890), 22 March-20 April 1947, no. 61
Paris, Musée de l'Orangerie, Vincent van Gogh, 24 January-15 March 1947, no. 60
Mons, Museum voor Schoone Kunsten, Vincent van Gogh, 27 December 1946-January 1947, no. 63
Brussels, Paleis voor Schoone Kunsten, Vincent van Gogh, 9 November-19 December 1946, no. 63
Luik, Museum voor Schoone Kunsten, Vincent van Gogh, 12 October-3 November 1946, no. 63
Copenhagen, Charlottenborg, Vincent van Gogh. Udstilling af malerier og tegninger, 22 June-14 July 1946, no. 28
Malmö, Malmö Museum, Vincent van Gogh. Utställning anordnad till förmån för svenska hollandshjälpen, 29 May-16 June 1946, no. 28
Gothenburg, Göteborgs Konstmuseum, Vincent van Gogh. Utställning anordnad till förmån för svenska hollandshjälpen, 3-26 May 1946, no. 28
Stockholm, Nationalmuseum (Stockholm), Vincent van Gogh. Utställning anordnad till förmån för svenska hollandshjälpen, 8 March-28 April 1946, no. 28
Heerlen, Raadhuis Heerlen, Vincent van Gogh, 8-24 February 1946, no. 39
Maastricht, Bonnefantenmuseum, Vincent van Gogh, 12-28 January 1946, no. 39
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Vincent van Gogh, 14 September-1 December 1945, no. zonder nr.
Copenhagen, Charlottenborg, Vincent van Gogh. Malerier, tegninger, akvareller, January 1938, no. 17
Oslo, Kunstnernes Hus, Vincent van Gogh. Malerier, tegninger, akvareller, 3-24 December 1937, no. 10
Amsterdam, Kunsthandel J. Goudstikker, Het stilleven, 18 February-26 March 1933, no. 114
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Vincent van Gogh. Werken uit de verzameling van Ir. V.W. van Gogh, in bruikleen afgestaan aan de Gemeente Amsterdam, 14 February 1931-1931, no. 46
Paris, Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Vincent van Gogh. L'Époque Française, 20 June-2 July 1927
Munich, Glaspalast, I. Allgemeine Kunst-Ausstellung, 1 June-3 October 1926, no. 2092
The Hague, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Nederlandsche stillevens uit vijf eeuwen, 27 February-31 March 1926, no. 123
The Hague, Pulchri Studio, Tentoonstelling Vincent van Gogh, 21 March-26 April 1925
Paris, Galerie Marcel Bernheim, Exposition rétrospective d'oeuvres de Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), 5-24 January 1925, no. 20
Stuttgart, Württembergischer Kunstverein, Ausstellung Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890, 12 October-30 November 1924, no. 19
Zurich, Kunsthaus Zürich, Vincent van Gogh, 3 July-10 August 1924, no. 44
Basel, Kunsthalle Basel, Vincent van Gogh, 27 March-4 May 1924, no. 23
London, Leicester Galleries, Works by Vincent van Gogh, 1 December 1923-15 January 1924, no. 17
The Hague, Kunsthandel Sala, Zonder titel [Presentatie in de kunsthandel], May 1921
Dresden, Galerie Ernst Arnold, Ausstellung Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890, February 1912, no. 21
Breslau, Galerie Ernst Arnold, Ausstellung Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890, February 1912, no. 21
Bremen, Kunsthalle Bremen, Zonder titel, 6 December 1911-8 January 1912
Hamburg, Galerie Commeter, [Vincent van Gogh], 11 October 1911-January 1912
Amsterdam, Larensche Kunsthandel, Tentoonstelling van schilderijen en teekeningen van Vincent van Gogh, 16 June-14 August 1911, no. 14
Dresden, Galerie Ernst Arnold, Vincent van Gogh, February-March 1910
Frankfurt am Main, Woning Herr Carl Marcus (directeur Frankfurter Kunstverein), Vincent van Gogh, January 1910
Munich, Moderne Kunsthandlung Brakl & Thannhauser, Vincent van Gogh, October-December 1909, no. 9
Berlin, Kunstsalon Paul Cassirer, II. Ausstellung, 15 October-8 November 1908, no. 34
Berlin, Kunstsalon Paul Cassirer, [titel onbekend], October 1908
Amsterdam, Kunsthandel C.M. van Gogh, Vincent van Gogh tentoonstelling, 3-24 September 1908, no. 22
Zurich, Kunsthaus Zürich, Vincent van Gogh, Cuno Amiet, Hans Emmenegger, Giovanni Giacometti, 10-26 July 1908, no. 11
Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurter Kunstverein, V. van Gogh Ausstellung, 14-28 June 1908, no. 19
Dresden, Kunsthandlung Emil Richter, Vincent van Gogh/Paul Cézanne, April-May 1908, no. 17
Munich, Moderne Kunsthandlung, Vincent van Gogh, March-April 1908, no. 17
Paris, Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Cent tableaux de Vincent van Gogh, 6 January-1 February 1908, no. 31
The Hague, Kunsthandel C.M. van Gogh, Vincent van Gogh tentoonstelling, Summer 1908
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Tentoonstelling Vincent van Gogh, 15 July-1 September 1905, no. 73
Paris, Galerie Vollard, [Vincent van Gogh], December 1896-February 1897
Amsterdam, Kunstzaal Panorama, Tentoonstelling der nagelaten werken van Vincent van Gogh, 17 December 1892-12 February 1893, no. nr. onbekend
Bailey, Martin, Fowle, F., Van Gogh and Britain : pioneer collectors, 2006, p. 25