*Photo: Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890), The Yellow House (The street), Arles 1888 Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
This year TEFAF came with a pleasant surprise for all who love draughtsmanship. The Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam showed fifteen drawings of it’s collection. This selection of sheets had seldom been exhibited and showed the development of the artist in a unique way. There were drawings from various periods of his life; his early works on paper in The Hague, drawings made in Paris, and the powerful later ones, with the reed pen, created during his years in Southern France. 
These last works, almost abstract in their appearance, refer to Van Gogh’s tragic situation in the final years of his life. Looking at these colourful and fluid sheets, by reading the confronting titles, one is reminded of Van Gogh’s life becoming more and more difficult. Tree and Bushes in the Garden of the Asylum from 1888, for example is a grim reminder of the hardship he was facing in the years shortly before his death in 1890.
For those who visited TEFAF it was an absolute opportunity to get a closer look at these rare pieces and see how Van Gogh shifted his style through the years. It was clear to see that the exhibition was a succes, many people seized the moment to see for themselves. The exhibition was part of the section: TEFAF PAPER which therefore gained more attention. It was organised with support of AXA Art. tefaf.com.
