Van Gogh Breda

In Breda there are two large murals related to Vincent van Gogh. Commissioned by Blind Walls Gallery, artist Amok Island created a large painting of a potato plant on Vincent van Goghstraat and on Terheijdensweg, Joren Joshua created a painting at the level of the Faam a painting of over 100 meters in memory of Cornelis van Gogh. This is a younger brother of Vincent who worked briefly as a technical draughtsman at the machine factory Backer and Rueb. Cor was 14 years younger than Vincent.
The van Gogh family was living in Etten (now Etten-Leur) when Cor went to the Hogere Burgerschool in Breda at the age of 13. Two years later his father became pastor in Nuenen and they had to move. Despite his father's position, the family was struggling financially. For that reason, Cor did not finish his education and became an apprentice at a steam engine factory in Helmond.
Before emigrating abroad at the age of 22, Cor worked for a year at machine factory Backer & Rueb in Breda. As a technician, he was able to assemble a steam engine. Later he went to work in Lincoln, England, as a metalworker before eventually working in South Africa as a repairer of machinery in gold mines and later as a technical draughtsman for the Nederlandsch-Zuid-
Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatschappij (NZASM). For this company, he drew stations and train yards as documentation for company brochures and company literature. In South Africa, Cor received word of Vincent's death. He mourned the loss mainly for his mother and brother. Six months later, Cor lost his other brother Theo. In his correspondence, Cor wrote that he saw Theo as his only real brother. The mural is a tribute to Cor and the former Breda machine factory.

Van Gogh Monument

Vincent's godfather Vincent - "Uncle Cent" - withdrew from the active art trade in 1873 and settled with his wife Cornelia in Princenhage, a district of Breda. During his lifetime, Uncle Cent collected 192 paintings, for which he set up a home gallery in Villa Mertersem. When Vincent van Gogh began drawing in earnest in Etten-Leur (1881), he visited his wealthy Uncle Cent several times. He also donated Vincent his first painter's box. Thus he helped Vincent become an artist, and Vincent also met his art teacher Anton Mauve from The Hague through Uncle Cent.

There is an audio column at the villa.

Van Gogh Monument

The Protestant cemetery Haagveld (Zuylen) in Breda's Princenhage district contains the graves of Vincent van Gogh's grandparents. The headstones are simple. The inscription reads, "Here rests E.H. van Gogh geb Vrijdag, died March 9, 1857, aged almost 67 years. Her life was love. And Vincent van Gogh, shepherd and teacher, died May 7, 1874, aged over 85 years."
Also located here is the grave of "Uncle Cent" and of Vincent's aunt Cornelia Carbentus. They lie in a more expensive grave.
A granite bench has been placed in the cemetery by artist Pien Storm-van Leeuwen. The inscription reads, "It was a mute evening, thou canst think how beautiful the road to Prinsenhage was with the dark clouds with their silver edges."

At the entrance to the cemetery is an audio column.

Van Gogh Monument

Vincent's grandfather - also named Vincent - who came from an art-loving family in The Hague, was pastor of the Grote Kerk and the Royal Military Academy. His family lived first on Visserstraat and later on Reigerstraat. Son Theodorus became pastor in Zundert in 1849, where grandson Vincent was born in 1853. The Breda pastor regularly went there with his carriage to preach.

Little is known about the relationship between Vincent and his grandfather. Vincent drew him once, after a photograph. A brief excerpt from a letter to Theo reveals that Vincent found him a cold and unpleasant man.

Near the church is an audio column.

Vincent must have walked regularly across the Haagsemarkt in front of the Martinus Church on one of his many walks from Etten. He describes in one of his letters how he enjoyed the beautiful evening light there.

"I also went into the Roman Catholic church where there was evening service, it was a beautiful sight, all those peasants and the peasant women with their black clothes and white hats, and the church looked so friendly by the evening light. (Letter to Theo, Etten December 31, 1876)"

Vincent often came on foot to Princenhage from Etten, where his father was pastor for 7 years. On the way, Vincent asked the farmers and workers to let him draw them. He also drew the trees along the Liesbos, the fields and ditches, the houses and farms. He regularly visited his Uncle Cent and Aunt Cornelie in Huize Mertersem. The art collection of his Uncle Cent and the nature around Princenhage inspired him greatly.

Today, the streets of Breda's Princenhage district pay attention to Vincent van Gogh in various ways. In early September 2019, the redesigned Haagsemarkt will be officially reopened.

At the Haagsemarkt there is an audio column.