Vincent, turned down by both Kee and his parents, left Etten and sought shelter in La Haye at his cousin Mauve’s, a well-known painter that Vincent regarded as his master. But very soon, their relationship would deteriorate and Mauve would refuse to see him.
Vincent felt rejected by everyone and went to look after Sien, an even more lost girl than him.
Alcoholic, sometimes a prostitute, pregnant and mother of a little girl…
He took her at home, against his family and friends’ will, who would force him to leave her. He set for Drenthe alone, as Sien refused to follow him.
During his two years in la Haye, and despite his torments, he kept on working with fury. He wanted to learn and to understand everything…
He studied perspective, made a perspective frame (copied on a Durer’s drawing) which he used in the fields and which would be very helpful to him.
Tried to understand the laws of light and chiaroscuro. He would transform the window shutters of his workshop in order to play better with light.
Drew peasants, “Brabant types”, worked on movement.
Used all kinds of printing inks, mixed them up, made experiments with material and achieved his first lithographs.
Made attempts with chalk, various pencils’leads, quills, reeds…
Achieved his first great compositions with several models…