Adventures Online: Journey with Van Gogh

As we meet our staff, we will have a brief overview on how to use Zoom, the program’s topic, guidelines, and the daily schedule.

Van Gogh was born in the small Dutch town of Zundert as the son of a Protestant pastor. Growing up in a deeply religious family, his initial plan was to become a preacher. In this lecture, we will learn about Vincent’s early years and his path towards becoming an artist. We will examine his first paintings, mostly dark and somber, and discuss his influences.

Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.

We will visit the former coalmining region in Southern Belgium to explore the landscapes where Vincent initially worked as a preacher. His contact with the miners affected him profoundly and shaped his turn away from religion and towards art. Afterwards, we will visit Nuenen, where Van Gogh returned to the family home as he took his first uneasy steps towards painting. It was here that he painted The Potato Eaters in 1885.

We will have time for questions with program staff.

We will end with a review of the topics we have discussed today and a preview of what’s ahead for tomorrow.

Today's session will end.

Greet everyone and review the day's schedule.

In late 1885, Van Gogh enrolled at the Antwerp Academy for the only formal art training he would ever receive. It proved a frustrating experience; his restless, self-taught spirit chafed against academic convention, yet the city itself became his real classroom. His discovery of Rubens challenged everything he thought he knew about color, while Japanese woodblock prints opened a door to a bold new visual language. Antwerp may have been a brief stop, but its ideas would echo through every canvas he painted thereafter.

Wander with us through the streets of one of Europe's great port cities — a place where the world arrived by ship. We will explore the Antwerp that Van Gogh would have known: its bustling docks, its grand cathedral, and the vibrant urban energy that made it unlike anywhere he had lived before. Filmed on location, this video exploration brings to life the sights and atmosphere of a city that, in just two months, quietly changed the course of art history.

Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.

When Van Gogh arrived in Paris in February 1886, he stepped into the most exciting art scene in the world. For the first time, he came face to face with Impressionism — and it shook him to his core. The loose, expressive brushwork of Monet, the vibrant color of Pissarro, and the bold compositions of Degas challenged everything he had taught himself. Over two extraordinary years, Paris dismantled the somber palette of his Dutch roots and replaced it with light, color, and a newfound freedom. By the time he left in February 1888, he was a different artist entirely.

Perched above the rooftops of Paris, Montmartre was the beating heart of bohemian life in the late 19th century — a hillside village of windmills, lively cafés, and cramped studios where artists, poets, and dreamers rubbed shoulders. It was here that Van Gogh lived, worked, and soaked up the energy of a city in creative ferment. Join us on a guided video field trip through the winding streets and sun-drenched terraces of Montmartre, filmed on location to capture the spirit of the neighborhood that helped set Vincent's palette ablaze.

We will have time for questions with program staff.

We will end with a review of the topics we have discussed today and a preview of what’s ahead for tomorrow.

Today's session will end.

Greet everyone and review the day's schedule.

Of all the places Van Gogh called home, none transformed him more profoundly than Arles. In the 14 months he spent in this sun-drenched corner of Provence, something extraordinary happened — the light, the color, and the warmth of the Mediterranean unlocked a palette and a confidence that had been quietly building for years. This lecture traces that personal and artistic revolution, exploring how a city in the south of France gave the world some of the most celebrated paintings in history.

Radiant, ancient, and endlessly inspiring, Arles is a city that has seduced artists for centuries — and it is not difficult to see why. Join us on a video stroll through its sun-warmed streets, where Roman amphitheatres stand alongside vibrant café terraces, and the lilting sounds of Spanish and Romany music drift through the air. Filmed on location, we will explore the landscapes and corners that ignited Van Gogh's imagination, in a city that continues to pulse with creative energy to this day.

Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.

In October 1888, Paul Gauguin arrived in Arles at Van Gogh's invitation, and one of art history's most volatile partnerships began. For two intense months, the two men painted side by side, their clashing visions and fierce artistic rivalry pushing both to extraordinary heights. But the pressure proved devastating for Vincent. This lecture examines that turbulent relationship — its creative triumphs, its bitter tensions, and the terrible toll it took on Van Gogh's fragile mental health.

Nestled among the gentle hills and lavender fields of Provence, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is a place of quiet, almost dreamlike beauty. Yet for Van Gogh, it was also a place of confinement — it was here, within the walls of the asylum of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, that he sought refuge after his breakdown. We will visit this evocative town and its historic asylum, where Vincent, in the depths of his anguish, somehow found the strength to create over 150 paintings — among them the iconic Starry Night.

We will have time for questions with program staff.

We will end with a review of the topics we have discussed today and a preview of what’s ahead for tomorrow.

Today's session will end.

Greet everyone and review the day's schedule.

In May 1890, Vincent van Gogh settled in Auvers-sur-Oise under the supervision of Dr. Paul Gachet, a specialist in mental health and a dedicated patron of the arts. The 70 days that followed represent one of the most remarkable periods of sustained creativity in art history, yielding some 70 works of enduring genius. This lecture explores that final, fateful chapter — its paintings, its passions, and its tragic conclusion.

Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.

The village of Auvers-sur-Oise looks much as it did when Van Gogh arrived in the spring of 1890. Together we will explore the very streets, fields, and landscapes that inspired his final masterpieces — filmed on location to bring his last extraordinary 70 days vividly to life. From the rolling wheatfields to the historic village church, this video journey through one of art history's most captivating settings concludes our adventure, with an in-depth look at the location of Van Gogh's remarkable final chapter.

We will have time for questions with program staff.

We will recap what we’ve learned over the past few days and say farewell. This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!

This concludes our program.