Vincent van Gogh 梵谷 (1853-1890) 姓名：______________ 10 /22/2021

1853 年，出生於荷蘭的梵谷，其實在成為畫家之前，曾經做過不同的工作，好比被伯父帶
進歐洲最大藝術品交易公司上班、憑藉著高度的宗教狂熱向採礦工人傳教等等。從 27 歲開始
梵谷全心投入藝術創作，到 37 歲舉槍自盡之間，這短短十年時光，梵谷的生活可說是窮困
潦倒，雖然他的叔伯輩在歐洲經營畫店、在市場取得良好聲譽，但個性倔強的梵谷卻與他們
相處不來，這也進而導致梵谷活著的時候未能靠著繪畫獲得財富，除了偶爾賣出幾張素描外，
生前僅售出過一幅油畫，而弟弟西奧（Theodore Van Gogh），便成為他最重要的經濟支柱
來源。

「Starry starry night，Paint your palette blue and gray⋯」這首由美國民謠詩人唐・麥克林

（Don McLean）撰寫的動人歌曲〈文森特（Vincent）〉，除了獻給藝術家梵谷之外，在歌曲
開頭也把名畫《星夜》給寫進其中。雖然這幅畫與歌曲展現出來的魅力無比魔幻，然而《星夜》
的創作背景，卻可說是梵谷生命裡最低潮的一段時光⋯。
歷經與畫家高更的劇烈爭吵、割下自己的耳朵、用手帕包起送給一名妓女⋯，梵谷一連串的失
控行為，終於讓他在 1889 年 5 月 8 日自願前往位於阿爾勒聖雷米精神病院進行治療，在那
裡度過了漫長的 108 天。《星夜》正是那時期創作出來的代表畫作，從畫面上來看，當時藏在
梵谷心中的深度憂鬱，透過藍色與粗重筆觸顯現，而夜空中的星體銀河更捲動成不同大小的
漩渦，佔據畫作左下方的柏樹，更好像黑暗的巨型火焰不斷往上延燒，讓梵谷心中的躁動不
安完整呈現。

Interesting Facts about Vincent van Gogh 關於梵谷

He would get so obsessed with painting that he often wouldn't (1) _________. He had poor

(2)_____________ as a result. Van Gogh was influenced by (3)______________ prints and woodcuts

which he studied intensely. Some people think that he may have only sold (4)___________ work during

his lifetime. It was called The Red Vineyard. His brother Theo died (5)____________ months after

Vincent and was (6)___________ next to him. In some of his (7)__________________ his

(8)__________ is bandaged from when he cut it. It looks like his right ear in the pictures because he was

using a (9)______________ to paint himself. You can see the painting Starry Night at the

(10)_________________ Museum of Modern Art.

ANSWERS
He would get so obsessed with painting that he often wouldn't eat. He had poor health as a result. Van

Gogh was influenced by Japanese prints and woodcuts which he studied intensely. Some people think that

he may have only sold one work during his lifetime. It was called The Red Vineyard. His brother Theo

died six months after Vincent and was buried next to him. In some of his self-portraits his ear is

bandaged from when he cut it. It looks like his right ear in the pictures because he was using a mirror to

paint himself. You can see the painting Starry Night at the New York Museum of Modern Art.