One of my favorite scenes from the British science-fiction series Doctor Who is this one where the series’ main characters–both time travelers–bring Van Gogh to an exhibition of his work at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. In the scene, an artist who never experienced fame sees how many millions of people’s lives his paintings were able to touch–a beautiful moment of fantasy. If you’re like me, you’ll think someone is chopping onions in the room after you’ve seen the final lines.

Van Gogh time travels

I also strongly recommend the film Loving Vincent, which was made entirely with oil paintings, animating Van Gogh’s images to tell the story of his final years, and making a provocative hypothesis regarding his tragic death. The trailer is embedded below, and the film is available for rent on platforms like YouTube and Amazon and also available on Hulu. You can also borrow a DVD from the library through OhioLink or Interlibrary Loan.

Lastly, if you’re ever in Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Art Museum has a wonderful Van Gogh painting, Undergrowth with Two Figures, which was recently restored.