Left: Vincent van Gogh. Landscape with Cloister at Mont Majour (1888, 6-12 July).

Pen and ink drawing, 48.3 x 59.8 cm. Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Right: John Walker (2008). After Vincent 4. Oil on linen, 120 x 100 cm.

About the After Vincent series This series of paintings by John Walker (b. 1938), a British painter and art historian, shows his continued fascination with the artwork of Vincent van Gogh. This fascination began back when Walker was 17 and first saw an exhibition of the artist's work in Manchester, England. Since and over many years, Walker has paid tribute to Van Gogh's work and life. This has included publishing articles and discussing Van Gogh's work in a number of books published in the United Kingdom. In 2008, Walker began the series aiming to take his studies of Van Gogh and apply them to paint as creative interpretations and homages to Van Gogh and his art. The drawings were copied by hand in pencil onto Walker's larger canvases. Then colours were added based on photographic reproductions of Van Gogh's drawings, paintings by Van Gogh, Walker's memories and photographs of Provence, France which he has visited. These references are combined with Walker's emotional inspiration for making the work. Walker interprets Van Gogh not only as an expressionist, but also as a realist and symbolist, based on the level of detail in the drawings. Walker's interpretation is reflected in the treatment of paint. For future exhibition, Walker envisions the paintings to be framed in plain, vanished wood which are more in keeping with Van Gogh's wishes than the elaborate framing that one sees in museum display. Walker also proposes exhibiting the paintings with accompanying reproductions of the drawings in books or other means which are perhaps placed on nearby plinths. This then enables the visitor to view the paintings independently, and also to facilitate a painting-to-drawing, back-and-forth visual experience. It is also proposed that Walker's art historical writings related to Van Gogh are offered as reading material for visitors.

Additional reference images

Above left: Vincent van Gogh. La campagne due cote des bords du Rhone vue de Mont Majour (1888, 6-12 July). Pen and ink drawing, 48.7 x 60.7. Collection of the British Museum, London. Right: John Walker (2008). After Vincent 1. Oil on linen, 120 x 100 cm.

Above left: Vincent van Gogh. La Crau vue prise a Mont Major (1888, 6-12 July). Pen and ink drawing, 49 x 61 cm. Collection of Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. Right: John Walker (2008). After Vincent 2. Oil on linen, 120 x 100 cm.

Above left: Vincent van Gogh. View of Arles from Mont Majour (1888, 27-29 May). Pen and ink drawing, 48.6 x 60 cm. Collection of National Gallery, Oslo, Norway. Right: John Walker (2008). After Vincent 3. Oil on linen, 120 x 100 cm.

Above left: Vincent van Gogh. Olive and Pine trees at Mont Majour (1888, 6-12 July). Pen and ink drawing, 48 x 60 cm. Collection of the Le Muse des Beaux-Arts, Tournai, Belgium. Right: John Walker (2008). After Vincent 5. Oil on linen, 120 x 100 cm.

After left: Vincent van Gogh. The rock of Mont Majour with pine trees (1888, 6-8 July). Pen and ink drawing, 49.1 x 61 cm. Collection of Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. Right: John A. Walker (2008). After Vincent 6. Oil on linen, 120 x 100 cm.