Vincent van Gogh: Overview

Birth Year : 1853 Death Year : 1890 Country : Netherlands View a biographical overview of Vincent van Gogh's life, and learn about how he discovered art and eventually became one of the most famous artists in the world. Vincent van Gogh would become one of the most well-known artists in the world. His paintings have become easily recognizable to cultures throughout the world, and he has become the archetypal tortured artist. Van Gogh was born in 1853 and grew up in Holland. He was raised in a religious family with his father being a minister. When his school ended, Vincent followed his uncles profession and became an art dealer learning the trade in Holland and then working in England and France. Vincent was successful and initially happy with his work. However, he soon grew tired of the business of art, especially in Paris, and lost interest in the trade. After returning home, Vincent began to study theology. While very passionate and enthusiastic, he failed exams to enter a couple programs. Characteristic of his personality, he was intelligent, able to speak multiple languages, but he did not think that Latin was a language for preaching to the poor. During this period, he worked as a missionary in a coal mining community living with hard working poor common people. As his development as a preacher was stalling, his interest in those around him was increasing. His life as an artist was beginning. In 1880, at 27 years old, Van Gogh entered the Acadmie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Belgium. The following winter, living in Amsterdam, Vincent fell in love, had his heart broken, and began painting. The next few years would result in little success both in love and art. Van Goghs Potato Eaters, his first major work, was painted in 1885. By this time, he was still having difficulty finding love, but was beginning to receive interest in his paintings. He was now fully devoting himself to painting: living frugally, studying color theory, and admiring the works of artists like Peter Paul Rubens. Unfortunately, as would be his entire life, his paintings were still difficult to sell. His brother Theo, an art dealer and the recipient of many letters from Vincent, commented that there should be more color in his work. Van Gogh was painting peasants and rural landscapes using dark earth tones. Around this same time, Impressionism, with its bright vivid colors, was becoming popular. The next year, Vincent moved to Paris where his art began to take on the style that would make him famous. In Paris, he was discussing art with some of the most avant-garde and influential artists of his time painters like Gauguin, Bernard, and Toulouse-Lautrec. He was using more color, applying the paint with thick, bold brushstrokes, and painted all that

surrounded him. Van Gogh arranged to show his work, to positive reviews, but was still unable to sell any pieces. One of Van Goghs dreams as an artist was to start a colony for artists in Arles in the south of France. Vincent moved to Arles where he was joined by Gauguin. While there, Van Gogh entered the most productive and creative period of his life painting his famous Sunflowers. However, it also was a time of great turmoil for Vincent beginning a period of hospital stays for mental illness and physical decline. After just ten years of painting and producing some 900 paintings, Vincent van Gogh took his own life in 1890. Never fully appreciated in his own time, it wouldnt take long for the art world to recognize the genius they lost. Within twenty years of his death, there were memorial shows of his works all over the world influencing generations of artists to come.

Vincent van Gogh: Early Years

A Brief Understanding of Van Gogh's Early Years. On March 30, 1853 Anna Cornelia Carbentus gave birth to a boy in Groot-Zundert, Holland. Unbeknownst to her or the father, Reverend Theodorus van Gogh of the protestant church, this boy would be tormented by severe mental instability for the majority of his life, die from his own hands, and ultimately change the outlook on art for the rest of history. His life was to become one of uncertainty and madness, involving largely his own need to find a niche and the undeniable love for art. This man was Vincent van Gogh. Vincent's family consisted of his three sisters Elisabeth, Anna, Wil, two brothers Theo and Cor, and his mother and father. His earliest years were spent as a quiet child with little or no attention spent on art or artistic qualities. Other specifics about Van Gogh's childhood are not known. In 1870, after completing a sketchy array of education, Van Gogh was employed by the Hague gallery, run by French art dealers Goupil et Cie, at the age of 16. Later in 1873, Goupil transferred Vincent to London then again to Paris by 1875. After this relocation, Gogh lost all desire to become a professional art dealer; instead following in his father's foot steps and devoting his life to the evangelization of the poor seemed more logical. Despite his erratic behavior his parents agreed to pay for his education. Gogh soon abandoned his lessons and began a ministry with the miners of Borinage. During this time he was able to identify with the miners, their lifestyles, and their families. This interaction between Gogh and the worker class is later shown in his works as he becomes fascinated with depicting peasant life. After working with the miners for a period of time, Vincent's own urge to leave something of importance behind for mankind along with his brother Theo's consistent pressure, he became an artist. Without any proper training, or even having open

artistic talent, Gogh doubted his abilities, and was supported in this doubt by his parents. However, Theo continued to push Vincent forward and supported him financially. The outcome would be the creation of a master of art, who evolved from his doubtful shell into a brilliant but besieged mind very rapidly.

Vincent

van Gogh: Later Years

A Brief Understanding of Van Gogh's Later Years. In 1881, at the age of 27, Vincent moved back in with his parents after completing nine months of further education in Brussels. At home Vincent set to work on teaching himself how to draw. He tested various different techniques and styles along with experimenting with different subject matters. Other areas he worked on mastering were perspective, shading, and anatomy. Many of his earliest pieces were of peasant life, which could be attributed to his work with the miners of Borinage. Vincent soon became passionate about becoming an acclaimed drawer of figures, and continued to practice his newly developed skills. By the end of 1881, Vincent had moved from his parent's house and was acquiring lessons from Anton Mauve, his cousin by way of marriage. Vincent also began a relationship with Sien Hoomik, a pregnant prostitute whom had had one child out of wedlock already. Vincent was deeply shunned by Mauve for this relationship thus causing the two to fall out of friendship. However, Vincent continued to master the skills of drawing and used Hoomik as a model whenever possible. Vincent soon became irritable and made the choice to break off his relationship with Hoomik and move once again to follow artists like Van Rappard and Mauve to Drenthe. Vincent soon found a lack of inspiration and models and moved back in with his parents to continue practice. Here Vincent was first introduced to the paintings of Jean-Franqois Millet, a French artist, who had become quite famous across Europe for his renditions of peasant life. Van Gogh began painting and he forcibly modeled his style after Millet. By the age of 29, Vincent had moved from his parents' house and worked in a make-shift studio located in a room he rented from a Catholic church. From the beginning of Van Gogh's artistic career he had the ambition to draw and paint figures, in 1884 he began working on mastering weathered hands, heads and other anatomical features of peasants. He was planning on creating a multiple figure piece that would make his name respected in the artistic community. The piece he created was entitled The Potato Eaters and was completed in 1885. This piece proved to be success, but not in his lifetime. After the personal failure of The Potato Eaters, Vincent decided he needed some professional training in art techniques. He enrolled later that year in an academy in Antwerp where he discovered the art of Peter Paul Rubens, and various Japanese artists.

Both of these factors would greatly affect Van Gogh's style in art. By early 1886, he had moved to Paris to live with his brother Theo. Here Vincent was immersed in a centrifuge of modern art from the impressionist and post impressionists. Van Gogh quickly dropped the dark colors he had used to create The Potato Eaters after discovering the palette to be horrendously out of date. He adopted the brighter more vibrant colors with ease and began experimenting with the techniques he saw in the art of the impressionist and post impressionists. He soon began to research the styles found in the Japanese artwork he had discovered a year earlier. While in Paris, Vincent was acquainted with various other artists including: Paul Gauguin, Camille Pissarro, Claude Monet, and Emile Bernard. Vincent befriended Paul Gauguin and moved to Arles in 1888 hoping that his new friends would join him to create a school of art. Vincent was confident in his new and highly personal style and felt that he could attribute it to modern art with his outlandish new color combinations. Later Paul Gauguin did join Van Gogh in Arles. Vincent began painting sunflowers to decorate Gauguin's bedroom. These sunflowers would later become one of Vincent's signature pieces. Although something much greater was brewing in Vincent's head, that he couldn't control. Towards the end of 1888, the first signs of Van Gogh's mental illness began to take hold. He suffered from various types of epilepsy, psychotic attacks, and delusions. One such episode entailed Vincent pursuing Gauguin with a knife and threatening him intensely. Later that day, Vincent returned to their house and mutilated his ear, then offered it to a prostitute as a gift. Vincent was temporarily hospitalized and released to find Gauguin swiftly leaving Arles and his dream of an artistic community shattered. For more details on this incident, please see the page on Van Gogh's Ear. As the year of 1888 came to an end, Vincent traveled to Saint-Rmy-de-Provence where he committed himself to an asylum. Here his paintings became a torrent of activity. Although he could not draw and paint for long periods of time without suffering from an attack, he managed to create The Starry Night which resides as his most popular work and one of the most influence pieces in history. The swirling lines of the sky are a possible representation of his mental state. This same shaken style is visible in all of his work during his time in the asylum. Vincent left Saint-Rmy-de-Provence in 1890 and began contacting his brother Theo. van Gogh continued working and created a number of pieces; nearly one painting day. Vincent viewed his life as horribly wasted, personally failed and impossible. On July 27, 1890 Van Gogh attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest. He survived, but died two days later from the wound. For more details on the end of Vincent van Gogh's life, please see the

page on Van Gogh's death Theo, who had collected the majority of Vincent's work from Paris, died only six months later. His widow took the collection to Holland and dedicated herself to getting the now deceased Vincent the recognition he deserved. She published his work and Vincent became famous nearly instantly. His reputation has been growing since. The story of Vincent van Gogh's tragic life, filled with mental evils and artistic triumphs , lingers almost becoming that of legend. His work is still astounding millions around the world daily, and though he sold only one painting in his life, his influence on the outcome of art has been amazing and overwhelming. His paintings have reached new records when sold for hundreds of millions of dollars, and his persona has sparked number one hit songs. Vincent van Gogh has altered mankind forever... and he believed his life was a terrible failure!

Vincent van Gogh: Time Line

A Time Line of the Major Events of Gogh's Life

Van Gogh's Mental and Physical Health

Hundreds of physicians and psychiatrists have tried to define Van Gogh's medical conditions over the years. The following are some of the more probable mental and physical diagnoses.

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Van Gogh suffered from seizures which doctors, including Dr. Felix Rey and Dr. Peyron, believed to be caused by temporal lobe epilepsy. Van Gogh was born with a brain lesion that many doctors
believe was aggravated by his prolonged use of absinthe causing his epileptic condition. Dr. Gachet, another of Van Gogh's physicians, was thought to have treated his epilepsy with digitalis.

This prescription drug can cause one to see in yellow or see yellow spots. This may have been one of the reasons why Van Gogh loved this color.

Bipolar disorder
Due to Van Gogh's extreme enthusiasm and dedication to first religion and then art coupled with the feverish pace of his art production many believe that mania was a prominent condition in Van Gogh's life. However, these episodes were always followed by exhaustion and depression and ultimately suicide. Therefore, a diagnosis of bipolar disorder or manic depression makes sense with the accounts of these episodes in Van Gogh's life.

Thujone poisoning
In order to counter act his attacks of epilepsy, anxiety, and depression, Van Gogh drank absinthe, a toxic alcoholic drink popular with many artists at the time. Thujone is the toxin in absinthe. Unfortunately, the Thujone worked against Van Gogh aggravating his epilepsy and manic depression. High doses of thujone can also cause one to see objects in yellow. Various physicians have differing opinions on whether or not this is what caused Van Gogh's affinity with yellow.

Lead poisoning
Because Van Gogh used lead based paints there are some who believe he suffered from lead poisoning from nibbling at paint chips. It was also noted by Dr. Peyron that during his attacks Van Gogh tried to poison himself by swallowing paint or drinking kerosene. One of the symptoms of lead poisoning is swelling of the retinas which can cause one to see light in circles like halos around objects. This can be seen in paintings like The Starry Night.

Hypergraphia
Hypergraphia is a condition causing one to need to write continuously; this disorder is commonly linked to mania and epilepsy. Some believe that the massive collection of over 800 letters Van Gogh wrote during his lifetime could be attributed to this condition.

Sunstroke
Because Van Gogh strived for realism in his paintings he was often painting outdoors especially during his times in the South of France. Some of his episodes of hostility and the nausea and "bad stomach" he refers to in his letters may have been the effects of sunstroke.

Important Figures
Theodorus (Theo) van Gogh (1857-1891)
Vincent's younger brother who worked as an art dealer and was Vincent's closest friend. Over three fourths of the more than 800 letters Vincent wrote during his life were to Theo including his first and his last letters.

Johanna Gesina van Gogh (Bonger)

Theo's wife. Johanna was the first to publish the letters Vincent wrote to Theo after his death.

Anna Cornelia van Gogh (Carbentus) (1819-1907)

Vincent's Mother

Theodorus van Gogh - (1822-1885)

Vincent's Father

Cornelia Adriana Vos-Stricker (Kee)

Vincent's widowed cousin who he fell in love with in the summer of 1881 in Etten. Still grieving the loss of her husband Cornelia rejected Vincent and returned to Amsterdam.

Dr. Flix Rey (1867-1932)

Doctor who treated Van Gogh in Arles after he cut off part of his left ear lobe.

Dr. Paul Gachet (1828 - 1909)

Doctor and friend who treated Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise.

Van Gogh's Impact on Art.

* Featured Artists * Okke Weerstand - Van Gogh in Bronze Geert Weerstand - Van Gogh in Stone Vincent van Gogh lived more than 115 years ago, and yet his artwork is still altering the way mankind views beauty, persona, individuality, and style in art. His thousands of paintings and drawings have various characteristics that have been copied by thousands and duplicated by none. Van Gogh's unique life has inspired millions to become active in art. In fact, what many people today consider to be the archetypical "artist persona" is largely a result of his influence. Perhaps the most impressive aspect is that artists continue to mimic the style that Van Gogh created over one hundred years ago. The impressionists and post impressionists of Vincent's time influenced him greatly after he moved to Paris in 1886. The bright new palette reigned heavily over Gogh's previous dark muted color scheme. Van Gogh's use of this new impressionist and post impressionist style altered not only his work, but also all of art history. One particular artist is leading the contemporary impressionists in an effort to become "America's Vincent van Gogh"... Stefan Duncan! Duncan's amazing work is a plethora of brilliant colors tossed about in a whimsical style he calls Squigglism. Having been greatly influenced by Vincent van Gogh, Stefan utilizes this updated technique to draw the quick strokes of the impressionists into long curvy lines. These tight eddies of color dance around his paintings lighting every feature with beauty! It is this very beauty that Stefan strives to capture in all of his work; revealing the divine in nature!

Visit Stefan Duncan's Website to view all of his Beautiful Work!

Stefan's work continues to amaze us and it gives us great pleasure to be able to show it to the rest of the world. Each painting is Neo-Gogh while still presenting the signature style of Duncan. These paintings are a gift to all who love Vincent van Gogh and a perfect representation of greatness! I look forward to each new painting created by Duncan as his ability to present beauty continues to grow!

Visit Lee Tiller's Website to view all of his Great Artwork!

Above you can see the work of Artist Lee Tiller. Tiller is a Contemporary Impressionist who continues the trend set many years ago by the master impressionists. The new contemporary impressionists strive to prove that impressionism is not a dead art form and is still growing and changing with the times. Tiller's grasp of light and color is amazing and captivates the onlooker. His paintings are crisp and clean and contain all of the characteristics that one looks for in great impressionism while still adding his own aspects. His paintings are undeniably beautiful and prove that Tiller is one of the greatest Contemporary Impressionist artists. Tiller's work can be seen in galleries around the world as well as in various exhibitions. Tiller (like many great contemporary impressionists) was influenced by many great impressionists of the past including Vincent van Gogh (see the chair picture at far right). Tiller, however is not the only contemporary impressionist that was influenced by Vincent van Gogh. Below you can see 4 portraits painted by Vitali Komrov in the style of Vincent's own self portraits. Komrov actually painted an interpretation of one of Gogh's bandaged ear portraits (you can see it at the far right). Like Van Gogh's portraits these new contemporary impressionist portraits contain the same features while upgrading the color to brighter "candy" like schemes.

Visit Vitali Komarov's Website to view all of his Great Artwork!

Vitali Komarov's artwork is an amazing example of contemporary impressionism with a new modern twist. His paintings are vivid with color and exaggeration. His use of impressionist techniques is amazing and his work is unbelievable. His collection contains hundreds of paintings that shine with Gogh like splendor! All of his paintings, regardless of subject matter are wonderful. Below you can see more of his paintings that have been influenced by Vincent van Gogh.

Visit Vitali Komarov's Website to view all of his Great Artwork!

Both Lee Tiller and Vitali Komarov have taken what Vincent van Gogh created and modified the style to meet their own ideas. Although their paintings are clearly different it is still very apparent that they were influenced by Van Gogh. The future of contemporary impressionism looks bright with such talented artists paving the way. Vincent van Gogh's Self Portraits have also influenced the sculpture world. Below is a selection from the website Vincent Says.... According to the website: "A giant head of Vincent van Gogh, modeled after his "Self-portrait with Straw Hat" in the collection of the Detroit Institute Arts, stands seven feet tall on its pedestal. Naturally, his right ear is missing, but his left ear has a large enough opening that money can be dropped into the head. This causes him to respond with Dutch accented observations about life and art. The sculpture (seen at right) receives over $60 Dollars a day which is donated to charity. It is created of pigmented epoxy fiberglass over a steel frame by artist Jim Pallas. Jim Pallas specializes in creating money accepting sculptures and other interactive artwork. His sculptures are generally quirky and fun while maintaining the for a good cause aspect.

Visit Jim Pallas's Website to view all of his Great Sculptures! However, Jim Pallas is not the only innovative, interactive sculpture creator who was influenced by the self portraits of Vincent van Gogh. Carlos Zapata creates whimsical, outlandish, and visually appealing sculptures that can move via intricate mechanics. These sculptures are bright and fun and offer pleasing entertainment when in motion. Carlos created a sculpture of Van Gogh's self portrait with an interesting internal movement! The small Gogh figure with in the large sculpture's head paints a picture as the large sculptures hand crank is turned.

Visit Carlos Zapata's Website to view all of his Great Sculptures!

There are other artists that have been influenced by Vincent van Gogh on a much larger scale. As seen below, artist Cameron Cross created the project entitled: The Big Easel. This is a series of sculptures that reign over the landscape with their massive proportions. These gigantic easels hold massive hand painted re-productions of Vincent van Gogh's Sunflower Paintings. The Sculptures break records not only in size and spectacle but also in unique beauty!

Visit the Big Easel Website to view all of these massive projects!

Not only are Vincent's Sunflowers extremely popular pieces popular pieces, but also trend setters. As described on Other Sunflower Artists Section of this website: "Vincent van Gogh's sunflower paintings opened a door to a new evolution in decor and art. Not only did Vincent van Gogh inspire others to paint sunflowers, but he also created a trend that would span various lifestyles and personas. Van Gogh's infamous sunflowers altered many views on color schemes, exaggerated features, and stereotypically beautiful flowers in minimalistic form." Likewise, in discussing trends set by Vincent van Gogh it is important to look at a more literal art product... Merchandise! Gogh has inspired hundreds of companies to begin placing his artwork on many different novelty items. This ultimately proves his influence not only on the art world but also on society. His artwork remains at the top of the selling list among all art prints. Reproductions of his paintings created by hand are also in very high demand. Taking this into consideration it is understandable how large of a scale his life and works have influenced; a very impressive feat indeed!

We would like to continue adding to this section over time. As we find new and innovative artists who were influenced by Vincent van Gogh, we will add them. Please visit the Contact the Van Gogh

Gallery to offer any information you have on Van Gogh's impact on art or artists that you know who have been influenced by Vincent van Gogh. Vincent van Gogh Paintings
Click here for the Catalog of Van Gogh Paintings > Between November of 1881 and July of 1890, Vincent van Gogh painted almost 900 paintings. Since his death, he has become one of the most famous painters in the world. Van Goghs paintings have captured the minds and hearts of millions of art lovers and have made art lovers of those new to world of art. The following excerpts are from letters that Van Gogh wrote expressing how he evolved as a painter. There are also links to pages describing some of Vincent van Gogh's most famous paintings, Starry Night, Sunflowers, Irises, Poppies, The Bedroom, Blossoming Almond Tree, The Mulberry Tree, The Night Caf, and The Potato Eaters, in great detail. In December of 1881, at the age of 28 just as he began his first paintings Vincent wrote to his brother Theo about becoming a painter, Theo, I am so very happy with my paintbox, and I think my getting it now, after having drawn almost exclusively for at least a year, better than if I had started with it immediately For, Theo, with painting my real career begins. Don't you think I am right to consider it so? Van Gogh worked at a feverish pace costing him money, causing him mental and physical stress and leaving him no time for any other source of income. But he was persistent. In a letter from March of 1882, Van Gogh wrote again to his brother Theo, Although I find myself in financial difficulties, I nevertheless have the feeling that there is nothing more solid than a `handicraft' in the literal sense of working with one's hands. If you became a painter, one of the things that would surprise you is that painting and everything connected with it is quite hard work in physical terms. Leaving aside the mental exertion, the hard thought, it demands considerable physical effort, and that day after day.

In the same letter to Theo from 1882, Van Gogh writes, There are two ways of thinking about painting, how not to do it and how to do it: how to do it - with much drawing and little colour; how not to do it - with much colour and little drawing. Van Gogh firmly believed that to be a great painter you had to first master drawing before adding color. Over the years Van Gogh clearly mastered drawing and began to use more color. In time, one of the most recognizable aspects of Van Goghs paintings became his bold use of color. This is evident in both Van Gogh's landscapes and his still life paintings About a year before his death Van Gogh predicted that there would be a great painter of the future who would know how to use color like no one else and would become the future of painting. He expressed this in a letter to his brother Theo in May of 1888, As for me, I shall go on working, and here and there something of my work will prove of lasting value - but who will there be to achieve for figure painting what Claude Monet has achieved for landscape? However, you must feel, as I do, that someone like that is on the way - Rodin? - he does not use colour - it won't be him. But the painter of the future will be a colourist the like of which has never yet been seen. But I'm sure I am right to think that it will come in a later generation, and it is up to us to do all we can to encourage it, without question or complaint. During his lifetime Van Gogh was never famous as a painter and struggled to make a living as an artist. Van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime The Red Vineyard. This painting sold in Brussels for 400 Francs only a few months before his death. Vincent van Gogh died at the age of 37 bringing his career as a painter to an end, but beginning his legacy as the great painter of the future who inspired the world. About a week after his death, Van Goghs brother Theo wrote to his sister Elizabeth about Van Goghs legacy as a great artist, In the last letter which he wrote me and which dates from some four days before his death, it says, I try to do as well as certain painters whom I have greatly loved and admired. People should realize that he was a great artist, something which often coincides with being a great human being. In the course of time this will surely be acknowledged, and many will regret his early death.

Vincent van Gogh died at the age of 37 bringing his career as a painter to an end, but beginning his legacy as the great painter of the future who inspired the world. Today it remains a mystery as to what Van Goghs last painting was before his death. Find out more about which paintings among his final works are considered to be perhaps Vincent van Goghs last painting.

The Potato Eaters: Considered Van Gogh's first great painting.

Sunflowers: Vincent van Gogh's famous still life collection is detailed here.

Starry Night: Van Gogh's most famous painting is reviewed as well as Starry Night Over the Rhone and The Caf Terrace on the Place du Forum, Arles, at Night.

Before and After: Comparison of Van Gogh's Early Paintings with those after being influenced by Impressionism.