One of the Most Infamous Art Destructions of World War II

Vincent van Gogh, “Painter on His Way to Work” (1888), oil on canvas

One of Vincent van Gogh’s most striking self-portraits of isolation, showing the painter alone with his art supplies on a road in Provence, was destroyed in a fire in May of 1945. It was one several paintings from the Kaiser Friedrich Museum in Berlin that was lost to fire along with works like Caravaggio’s “Saint Matthew and the Angel.”

During this time of World War II often people felt alone. They had nothing to cope with and were overwhelmed with their feelings influenced by the war. This is Van Gogh's self-portrait, he felt isolated yet kept is art with him. Art was a coping mechanism for many artists. It assisted them through the tough times of what was happening in the world. Although the picture above wasn't painted during the war it was still visited by many in the museum. Sadly it was lost during a fire at the very end of world war II in 1945.