Art History Instructor Offers Close-Up Look at Vincent van Gogh (with photo)

[Newsguy]

HATTIESBURG- Dr. Jan Siesling, visiting art history instructor at the University of Southern Mississippi, offers a fascinating look into the world of artist Vincent van Gogh in a lecture series beginning Sept. 21 through Dec. 7. “Dr. Siesling provides an in-depth presentation of this creative genius, showing works from his personal slide library, rarely seen in the United States,” said Susan Fitzsimmons, chair of the Southern Miss Department of Art and Design. Siesling’s lectures, sponsored by Partners for the Arts and scattered in various location around Hattiesburg, will focus on many of Van Gogh’s famous facets, including his short career, artistic output, revolutionary style and his compassion and dedication to mankind.Van Gogh is considered the most reproduced artist of our time. He has become a symbol for artistic elegance and complexity through his simple images of people and landscapes. Ironically, he did not know fame during his career, nor did he strive for it.Through his avid interest in and teaching of Van Gogh, Siesling has amassed a great deal of materials on the famed artist’s life and works. “Dr. Siesling has lectured extensively on art and has created a series of lectures for many French art museums that were a resounding success,” Fitzsimmons said. “We were very excited to have him join our faculty this fall and to present his series for the community.”The six-part lecture series includes:  Youth and Ideals -- Van Gogh’s childhood and development, Sept. 21, 6:30 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Center, downtown Hattiesburg  The Dutch Years (1880-1885) -- Van Gogh’s self-teaching and discipline in art before becoming a painter, Oct. 11, 1:30 p.m. at the Osher Life Long Learning Center on Pearl Street  Paris (1886-1888) -- Paris influences Van Gogh greatly, Oct. 26, 6 p.m. at the Museum of Art at Southern Miss  Arles (1888-1889) -- Van Gogh’s breaks laws of old painting and the creation of his unique style, Nov. 9, 6 p.m. at the Museum of Art at Southern Miss  Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin – Conflict and friendship of Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, Nov. 15, 1:30 p.m., at the Osher Life Long Learning Center on Pearl Street  Saint-Rémy and Auvers-sur Oise (1889-1890) -- His last year and suicide, Dec. 7, 6 p.m. at the Museum of Art at Southern MissSiesling lives in France but was born in the Netherlands. He studied art history, specializing in nineteenth-century Dutch art and received his doctorate on the study of Anthon van Rappard (Van Gogh’s painter friend) at the Free University of Amsterdam. He was able to study numerous letters from Van Gogh to Rappard about his work. Siesling worked a year at the Van Gogh Museum and, in 1974, was appointed professor at the Free University. In 1978, he left Holland and settled in France, establishing himself as a freelance art historian and taught for more than 15 years at Syracuse University’s Strasburg Center for Studies Abroad.In 2004, Siesling heard of the Southern Miss Pontlevoy Abbey program and visited the director of the center, Dr. Douglas Mackaman, professor of history. “I walked in and told him he needed someone like me, “ Siesling stated simply. He has been at the Abbey since, teaching art history and history of the Abbey itself.It was through his professional relationship with Mackaman and the Abbey that Siesling came to Southern Miss, first to recruit for the Abbey program and then as a visiting instructor in the Department of Art and Design.“I owe Van Gogh much of my career, so I wrote a novel, ‘Le Roman de Van Gogh’ as a tribute to him. Now I give lectures to tell his story,” Siesling said in his soft Dutch voice.Admission is free to each lecture and open to the public. For more information, call the Department of Art and Design at 601.266.4972, Angela Kilcrease at 601.266.4988 or visit the Web at www.usm.edu/arts (http://www.usm.edu/arts).

More... (http://www.usm.edu/pr/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=125&Itemid=2)