View of the Sea at Scheveningen, 1882
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)
Oil on Canvas, 34.5 X 51 cm
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
(Vincent van Gogh Stichting)
F 4

Van Gogh painted this small view of the sea using thick gobs of color and a rough brushstroke. The raging, foaming sea, the dark, thundery sky, and the boat?s flag whipping in the wind all give a good impression of stormy weather. Van Gogh painted this picture on the spot, at Scheveningen, a beach resort near The Hague. He had to fight against the elements: the gusting wind and flying sand, which stuck to the wet paint. Most of this was later scraped off, but a few grains can still be found in some of the paint layers. Please note: this painting is no longer on display, having been stolen from the museum on 7 December 2002. For more information, see the press release on the theft.