Vincents Lichtlab in Nuenen

What is light and how does color work? In Vincents Lichtlab you can discover for yourself the effects of light and color in a surprising way. Just like Vincent van Gogh in his time. A unique experience. He experimented with light and perspective in his paintings. Through trial and error and, above all, perseverance, Vincent learned more and more.

"I always make what I cannot yet do, in order to master it well anyway," he said in 1885.

For example, he discovers that you should paint a red cloth in a dark house not with red but with brown. Then what happens in your eyes and in your brain?

Van Gogh also knew: morning light is different from evening light, just as light in winter is different from summer. Colors also influence each other.

With the right light, Vincent makes his work and the colors look better. He found out that certain dark shades on the canvas seem to give light when he put them among the right colors. He wrote about this, "a dark color can seem light," and immediately applied it in his painting The Potato Eaters.

In France, Vincent improved his color technique even further. By not mixing colors, but rather juxtaposing them, they come out even better. For example, red next to green and blue next to yellow, these colors reinforce each other. His paintings become even more expressive. Persevering as he was, Vincent developed his unique style. He continued to work on it all his life ...and became world famous for it.

When

  • Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.