Vincent van Gogh

Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh remains one of the most resonant names in art history. As a post-impressionist, his work is renowned for its beauty, emotion, style, and color, significantly influencing 20th-century art. Widely regarded as one of the most iconic artists of all time, van Gogh's art represents a seamless integration of form and content - potent, dramatic, lyrically rhythmic, imaginative, and deeply emotional.

Biography of Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853, in the small town of Groot-Zundert, Netherlands. The painter's father, Theodorus van Gogh, worked as a minister, while his mother, Anna Cornelia Carbentus, was an artist. Both parents left a significant imprint on their son's life. Vincent van Gogh initially aspired to follow his father's path and become a minister, yet he also absorbed his mother's teachings and passion for nature, drawing, and watercolors.

Around the age of fifteen, van Gogh found himself in a financially struggling family. Against his wishes, his father decided that he should leave school without graduating and begin working to support the family. Fortunately, his mother's connections in the art world led to an opportunity for him to work at his uncle's art dealership, Goupil & Cie. This firm, based in The Hague, was a hub for art dealers and enthusiasts, marking van Gogh's first departure from Groot-Zundert.

In 1873, van Gogh was transferred to the Goupil Gallery in London. During his time there, he met and fell in love with Eugenie Loyer, the daughter of his landlady. He eventually proposed to her, but she declined. This experience marked the onset of van Gogh's first serious mental breakdown. 

Following a rejection from the woman he loved, Vincent van Gogh discarded all his books except for the Bible. This experience left him bitter and resentful, affecting his job performance. He began rudely speaking to customers, leading to his eventual dismissal. However, this dismissal did not greatly concern van Gogh, as he had already planned to leave England and attempt to pass the pastor's exam at the School of Theology in Amsterdam. When presented with the opportunity, van Gogh declined to participate in the Latin-speaking portion of the exam, resulting in his disqualification. With no church willing to hire him, van Gogh volunteered to relocate to a coal mine in southern Belgium, a place often considered a punishment. There, he preached and ministered to the sick, while also creating drawings of the miners and their families. They affectionately referred to him as "The Christ of the Coal Mines."

In the fall of 1880, van Gogh relocated to Brussels to pursue art. Without formal training in painting, he drew upon his mother's lessons and his experiences sketching inside Belgian mines. Supported financially by his brother Theo, who also provided him with a place to stay, van Gogh studied books like "Travaux des Champs" by Jean-François Millet and "Cours de Dessin" by Charles Bargue.

In 1885, van Gogh embarked on what would become recognized as his inaugural masterpiece, "Potato Eaters." Despite doubts from many about its reception in Paris, he was determined to establish himself as a contemporary artist in the French capital. In March 1886, Theo warmly welcomed his brother into his modest apartment in the heart of Paris. Immersed in this city that defined art, van Gogh encountered impressionist works for the first time, captivated by their vibrant colors and luminosity. He commenced studies under Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Pissarro, and other influential artists.

In February 1888, van Gogh boarded a train bound for the south of France. Settling into the now-famous little yellow house, he devoted himself to refining his artistic style, pouring all his funds into purchasing paint. However, it soon became evident that alongside his physical ailments, his mental health was deteriorating. Concerned for Vincent's well-being, Theo offered Paul Gauguin money to keep an eye on his brother in Arles. Gauguin agreed, but their cohabitation was marked by intense arguments. One fateful night, their disagreement reached a breaking point, leading Gauguin to leave abruptly in the middle of the night. Vincent, holding a razor, followed him. Unable to locate Gauguin, van Gogh went to a local brothel, seeking a prostitute named Rachel. With his hand bleeding, he offered her his ear as payment. The next morning, police found him in his room and admitted him to the Hôtel-Dieu hospital.

On January 7, 1889, van Gogh was discharged from the hospital. He spent his days painting at the yellow house and returned to the hospital each night. However, after locals signed a petition expressing concerns about his behavior, van Gogh relocated to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum.

About a year and a half later, feeling somewhat improved, van Gogh decided to move to Auvers. He seemed to be doing better for a while, but soon he relapsed into periods of panic and instability. On July 27, 1890, van Gogh went out to paint as usual, carrying a loaded pistol. That day, he shot himself in the chest and was taken to a nearby hospital. His doctors summoned Theo, and they spent the following days in deep conversation before van Gogh requested to be taken home. On July 29, 1890, Vincent van Gogh passed away in the arms of his beloved brother.

Vincent van Gogh's Art Style

Van Gogh's most remarkable works emerged in less than three years, characterized by an increasingly intense technique: bold brushstrokes, symbolic and vibrant colors, heightened surface tension, and dynamic forms and lines. Throughout his life, van Gogh completed over 2,100 works, comprising 860 oil paintings and more than 1,300 drawings and sketches. Today, his pieces are among the world's most prized possessions. However, during his lifetime, van Gogh only managed to sell one painting.  

Van Gogh's commitment to capturing the inner spirituality of humanity and nature resulted in a synthesis of style and substance, creating canvases that were dramatic, imaginative, rhythmic, and profoundly emotional, transcending mere visual representation. Despite causing turmoil throughout his life, van Gogh's mental instability served as the frenzied wellspring for the emotionally charged depictions of his surroundings, infusing each artwork with a deeper psychological insight and resonance.

Employing an impulsive, gestural application of paint and symbolic colors, van Gogh expressed subjective emotions vividly. These techniques and approaches went on to define many subsequent modern art movements, from Fauvism to Abstract Expressionism.