Van Gogh’s Brass Band

Martin Bailey, writing in the Art Newspaper, recently published a story about a Dutch trombonist who found Vincent Van Gogh’s signature on a long-overlooked document in a church archive. It was1884, in Nuenen, when Vincent van Gogh became an honorary member of the Harmonie de Vooruitgang band, which still performs. This humble discovery now has historians re-thinking the idea that the artist was living in deep poverty at the time.

The band had approximately 30 musicians, primarily brass instruments, and would play at celebrations or occasionally parade through the streets. Honorary members were required to have exemplary behavior and enough money to donate to the band twice a year. So, perhaps, Vincent was doing well financially and engaged in the village society, which runs contrary to the traditional “impoverished loner” image.

The story mentions Vincent not doing well in his piano lessons because the musical notes reminded him of colors. He also connected colors with poetry.

Public domain image of members of a brass band (detail) for illustration purposes; photo of the original band under EU copyright.