Lend us your ear, Cola. In just over two weeks, the much-anticipated (+ regionally-covered) Van Gogh and His Inspirations opens at the Columbia Museum of Art. This is a big deal. In fact, the closest place you can see a Van Gogh exhibition like this one is The Tate in London.

Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890) | Self-Portrait, 1887 | Oil on canvas | 15 15/16 x 13 3/8 in. (40.3 x 34 cm) | Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT, Gift of Philip L. Goodwin in memory of his mother, Josephine S. Goodwin, 1954.189. | Photograph courtesy of Allen Phillips/Wadsworth Atheneum.

Before you mark your calendar to see Van Gogh and His Inspirations during its Oct. 4-Jan. 12 run, here is a breakdown of everything you need to Van know:

What inspired the exhibition:

New York Times bestselling book Van Gogh: The Life.
Written by Steven Naifeh + Greg Smith from Aiken after a decade of research.
While writing, the authors built a collection of works by artists who influenced Van Gogh.

What you’ll see when you get there:

Naifeh’s and Smith’s collection + how it explores Van Gogh’s evolution.
Further exploration through artwork on loan from 12 museums across the U.S.
A dozen original paintings + drawings by Van Gogh himself, including his world-famous self-portrait.

Just how big of a deal is it?

Having a Van Gogh exhibition is rare.
Like, really rare. According to this list, there are only three in the U.S. currently.
This is the first time the Naifeh/Smith collection will be exhibited (a piece from it has been exhibited here and there, but never before as a whole collection).
Executive Director Della Watkins says the exhibition “represents an exhilarating high-water mark” for the museum.

This show is sure to be well-attended, so we recommend reserving your ticket in advance. If you want to deep dive before your visit, find more info on the exhibition + upcoming Van Gogh events here.

Bonus: Click here to win 2 tickets to the exhibition over on our Instagram. See you there. Ⓟ

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