Painters and Photography 1888-1915

In its latest exhibition, the Van Gogh Museum examines the impact of early photography, in particular the influence it had on painters and their creative processes.

Photographic revolution

When the first manageable, easy-to-use camera was invented in 1888, the field of photography opened up for amateurs. Spontaneous photography became possible: the snapshot was born. It would change the ways in which the world was captured in images forever. 

Interaction of photography and paintings

Among the enthusiastic users of the earliest amateur cameras were many artists. The painters George Hendrik Breitner, Pierre Bonnard, Maurice Denis, Henri Evenepoel, Henri Rivière, Felix Vallotton and Edouard Vuillard all fully embraced the new possibility. Their intimate, personal snaps provide a broader picture of their time, and make it clear how photography and painting interacted. 

From tool to art form

In the beginning, the camera was mainly used for personal portraits, for documenting the world and the many changes it underwent, and as auxiliary means for the artists' paintings. It was not until later that photography would evolve as an independent art form. The exhibition examines the role that early amateur photography played in these seven artists' lives and how it influenced their work; it features 220 photographs and 70 paintings, prints and drawings.