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The Real Van Gogh at the Royal Academy.
Vincent van Gogh Self-portrait as an Artist, January 1888
In the century since his tragic suicide, Vincent Van Gogh has been referred to as a genius and a gifted inspiration to the art world.
Now art lovers have the chance to get a glimpse inside the mind of Post-impressionism’s most talented and troubled exponent, at the first major Van Gogh exhibition in London for over forty years.
Organised by the Royal Academy of Arts and taking place in the main galleries of Burlington House in Piccadilly, ‘The Real Van Gogh: The Artist and His Letters’ is running for three months until April 18th 2010.
The exhibition explores a side of the Dutch painter rarely seen before and presents a series of thirty-five original letters from the artist’s own pen, seldom displayed due to their fragility.
These priceless historical documents, written to members of his family and other artists, unearth a treasure trove of information about the personal life and the philosophies of a highly-talented man. He died unappreciated and yet had a profound influence on future generations of artists.
Alongside these revealing letters, the exhibition also brings together a hundred paintings and drawings by the artist, on loan from museums as far afield as Amsterdam, New York and Los Angeles.
Tickets are available direct from the Royal Academy’s website. And if you’re looking for accommodation, a number of hotels are offering special package deals in conjunction with the exhibition.
The Chesterfield Mayfair offers individually-furnished rooms and free WiFi
Just a short walk from the Royal Academy of Arts, the Chesterfield Mayfair is offering an ‘Arts and culture at the Academy of Arts’ package.
This includes a night’s accommodation at this boutique 4 star hotel in Mayfair, including a full English breakfast, two fast-track tickets to the exhibition and a framed souvenir postcard.
Prices start from £185 based on two adults sharing a double room.
The Chesterfield seems permanently ranked in TripAdvisor’s top dozen hotels and is highly-recommended. It was also the venue of a recent focus group dinner organised by its parent company (Red Carnation) – which manages several of the best London luxury hotels.
Book direct with the Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel at the best guaranteed rate
The delightful bar at the Chesterfield Mayfair is particularly homely
The refurbished Langham is also offering a package linked to the exhibition including 2 tickets and breakfast in the stunning Palm Court – a lovely venue for afternoon tea. It is priced from £249 per night (excl. VAT).
Check the best rate for the Langham Hotel from 30+ hotel booking sites
The recently-renovated Langham offers traditionally-furnished rooms and lots of new facilities
The Langham is a bit further from the Royal Academy than the Chesterfield but has the benefit of being near all the big Oxford Street department stores should you fancy some shopping (also handy for Carnaby Street).
Please contact the above hotels directly for full details of the offers.
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Photo credits: Royal Academy of Arts and Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam), Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel (Red Carnation Hotel Collection), Langham Hotel.
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