©Norton Simon Art Foundation
Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena will screen a filmed version of a once-in-a-century Van Gogh exhibition, featuring the museum’s own “Portrait of a Peasant” painting on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
The film, directed by David Bickerstaff, documents the National Gallery of London’s landmark exhibition “Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers,” which examines the artist’s creative evolution in southern France.
The screening, scheduled from 5 to 6:30 p.m., will provide viewers unique insights into Van Gogh’s artistic development during a period when he dramatically transformed his style.
Museum visitors can attend the screening without additional charge beyond regular admission, with the Norton Simon’s theater doors opening 30 minutes before the presentation at 411 West Colorado Blvd.
The exhibition film represents a rare opportunity for art enthusiasts, as the museum’s “Portrait of a Peasant” (Patience Escalier) plays a significant role in exploring Van Gogh’s distinctive approach.
The portrait, revealing a weathered farmer from Provence, whose penetrating stare commands attention, was painted in August 1888, using an extraordinarily bold palette of yellows, blues, greens, and reds.
Writing to his brother Theo, Van Gogh explained that he deliberately chose to move away from realistic color representation, instead using colors expressively to heighten the painting’s emotional impact. He drew a connection between his portrait and Jean-François Millet’s famous peasant painting “Man with a Hoe.”
No advance registration is required for the film screening on Jan. 17.
For more information, call (626) 449-6840 or visit https://www.nortonsimon.org/.
