Vincent van Gogh in a new light

Opening November 28, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has redesigned its presentation of works by the artist, one of the most influential painters in the world. Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853. By the time he died in 1890, he'd created more than 800 paintings and about 1,000 sketches. He also made many self-portraits, like the one pictured, which was painted in Paris in 1887.

This painting, "The Potato Eaters," is considered to represent the peak of Van Gogh's creative period and was painted in 1885. Cast in dark tones, it depicts a family in Nuenen in the Netherlands.

Van Gogh moved to Arles in Southeast of France in February 1888 because of the friendly climate and colorful surroundings. The nature and people there became his main motives. It was in Arles that the artist experienced his most creative period. In his first week there, he created 10 paintings and five sketches. He wrote his brother that "The Harvest" (pictured) was one of his best works.

The picture of Van Gogh's bedroom in Arles is one of his most famous works. Unfortunately the hues of the colors have changed due to time. The door and the wall were originally purple, and the colors of the floor and the furniture also faded. With the app "Touch Van Gogh," which is provided by the museum, the visitors can compare the original hues with the colors they see at present.

The Van Gogh Museum opened in 1973. In the newly designed exhibition, the building itself is part of the overall design. The walls are no longer white, but colorful. Every chapter of the exhibition is cast in a color associated with the paintings. For example, "The Blossoming Almond Tree" depicts van Gogh's life in southern France, so the bold tones of nature dominate the room.

Van Gogh is often seen as an isolated artist. But that didn't keep him from being inspired by others. One of them was Impressionist Paul Gauguin. To honor him, Van Gogh painted four sunflower still-life works in the summer of 1888. When Gauguin arrived in Arles shortly afterward, he was delighted by the paintings. Van Gogh painted three more copies and one of them can be seen here.

Whereas Gauguin painted according to his imagination, Van Gogh painted only real models. This portrait of Van Gogh was created by Gauguin in Arles, and it can also be seen in Amsterdam. He must have relied on his memories, because it was made in December when the flowers couldn't have been blooming. The exhibition in Amsterdam also shows paintings by French Impressionists Manet and Monet.

Vincent van Gogh wanted to found an artist colony in his yellow house in Arles. But Paul Gauguin was the only artist who spent a short time there. He left the house after a quarrel in December 1888. It was at that time that Van Gogh lost his left ear, though the exact circumstances are unclear. It is still unknown whether he cut it himself, or whether Gauguin was involved in the injury.

"Wheatfield with Crows" is one of Van Gogh's last paintings. The strong colors and the brush work are a good example of Van Gogh's style, which was ahead of his time and would later influence many artists. On July 29, 1890, Vincent van Gogh died from a gunshot wound at the age of 37. He may have shot himself two days before he died.

In the part of the Van Gogh Museum where the special exhibition is held, a new entry hall is now being built. The glass structure should be completed in summer 2015. When it is finished, the new wing will be the largest of its kind in the Netherlands. The exhibitions are not affected by the construction. The new presentation of Van Gogh's works opens November 28.