Montblanc Masters of Art
Homage to Vincent van Gogh
In a special collaboration with the Vincent Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Montblanc are pleased to present a series of limited-edition writing instruments, inspired by the life and work of the Dutch painter. Drawing from his influences, works and renowned legacy, the collection celebrates some of Van Gogh's best-known paintings across a variety of stationery and accessories.
The first writings instrument in the new collection honours Van Gogh’s later years spent in Arles in South of France. The yellow Provençal light that symbolises much of his work is captured in Wheatfield with a Reaper from 1889, a motif and colourway that is celebrated throughout every detail of this design, including a special yellow Montblanc emblem. The shape of each writing instrument in the collection is an homage to Van Gogh’s fascination with Japanese woodblock prints, hinting at the shape of a wood-cutting knife, with the cap of the Limited Edition 4810 itself made from wood.
Formed like the palette knife Van Gogh used for his famous impasto technique, the clip on each writing instrument also references the artist’s distinctive pipe, shown in many of his self-portraits. This version is finished with a deep yellow that mimics the Montblanc emblem on the top of the cap.
A warm and vibrant pattern reminiscent of the Provence wheatfields covers the platinum-coated barrel.
The edition features an intricate reference to Van Gogh’s iconic Sunflowers, also of 1889, embossed with remarkable detail into the solid Au 750 gold nib.
The design of this edition evokes the artist’s time in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Auvers-sur-Oise with details reflecting one of his most famous paintings, Wheatfield with Crows from 1890. Its incredible sense of movement is accentuated by his impasto technique, applied to both the swaying wheat crop as well as the black birds swooping across the canvas. The cap features translucent lacquer inlays in different shades of blue and in the solid Au 750 yellow gold skeleton overlay to mimic this vibrant contrast.
While the lower part is a reference to his palette knife, the upper part is shaped like Van Gogh’s pipe bowl, decorated with a citrine.
The deep blue of the writing instrument’s barrel is scattered with iridescent sparkling particles that reference the artist’s famous night skies.
The solid Au 750 gold nib on the Limited Edition 888
features an embossing based on Van Gogh’s Almond Blossom of 1890.
This edition looks to several of Van Gogh’s works, including his last painting Tree Roots from 1890. A group of trees with their roots exposed by erosion on the side of the hill, the colourful geometries of the painting greatly inspire the lacquered boyd of this edition. The cap references a gentile drawing from 1889 titled Wheatfield and Cypresses, engraved in Ag 925 sterling silver.
The clip takes the shape of the artist’s synonymous pipe as well as his palette knife, and is adorned with a citrine.
The Ag 925 sterling silver barrel features a muted interpretation of Tree Roots, with multi-coloured lacquer inlays.
As an homage to the Golden Ratio, the solid Au 750 gold nib features the symbol of 1.61 (Phi), representing the golden ratio, a timeless aesthetic principle connecting many of the world’s most admired artworks. This golden ratio, or 1.61, also serves as special inspiration for the new Edition limited to 161 and will be featured in all upcoming Masters of Art collections.
This writing instrument features a particularly masterful interpretation of Van Gogh’s impasto technique, where broad strokes of thick paint were applied with a palette knife to bring the canvas to life through texture and movement. The Harvest from 1888 inspires the brush strokes and technique used across the cap and barrel of the writing instrument. This writing instrument features a particularly masterful interpretation of Van Gogh’s impasto technique, where broad strokes of thick paint were applied with a palette knife to bring the canvas to life through texture and movement. The Harvest from 1888 inspires the brush strokes and technique used across the cap and barrel of the writing instrument.
Van Gogh’s documented fondness for pipe smoking is captured in the clip’s detail, with the upper part shaped like a pipe’s bowl and set here with a fire opal.
A truly stunning piece, the barrel and cap of this edition have been hand painted by master ateliers in a faithful rendering of Van Gogh’s style, with strokes of warm tones representing the wheatfields of the Provence. The swirling, textural pattern is bespoke to each writing instrument, giving them the quality of a painted canvas.
The edition features an intricate reference to Van Gogh’s iconic Sunflowers, also of 1889, embossed with remarkable detail into the solid Au 750 gold nib.
Montblanc is proud to cooperate with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, to ensure that the Masters of Art Homage to Vincent Van Gogh Limited Editions align with the museum’s insights.. As the leading authority in scholarly research into the work and life of Vincent van Gogh, the Van Gogh Museum acts as a guardian of Vincent Van Gogh’s heritage.
Montblanc in collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.