Vincent van Gogh

Born: March 30, 1853, Zundert, Netherlands
Died: July 29, 1890, Auvers-sur-Oise, France
Full name: Vincent Willem van Gogh
Period: Post-Impressionism
Parents: Theodorus van Gogh, Anna Cornelia Carbentus

Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh was born in Zundert, Netherlands on March 30, 1853. His Father was a Protestant minister named Theodorus van Gogh and his mother was Anna Cornelia Carbentus. Vincent van Gogh was named after his elder brother, who died a year before him during birth. He also has 2 younger brothers and 3 sisters.

Van Gogh spent his early time in a religious and strict culture. He was very emotional and had a bad
temper. At the age of 11, he was sent to the Netherlands to study in a boarding school. A professional artist “Constantijn Huysmans” was his first art teacher. Young Van Gogh worked for an art dealer from 1869-1873. After that, he also worked in Paris and London till 1876. But then he was fired from his job for his rough behavior to customers. Then until 1880, he tried many things for a living. In 1880 he started studying in the Royal Academy of Art in Brussels. Then in 1881, he suddenly had a crush on his widowed cousin named Kee Vos. But she rejected his proposal brutally. This incident broke his heart and he had an argument with his father and became an alcoholic. Then again in 1884, he met a girl from his neighborhood who was also interested in art. But their families were not happy about it and they rejected them. In March 1885 Van Gogh’s father died. These tragic incidents caused depression. During that time Vincent van Gogh painted “The Potato Eaters”, which was his 1st major artwork. In 1885 he was charged for illegal relation with a peasant girl. Then he moved to Antwerpen School of Arts and studied color theory and paintings. After that, he moved to Paris. In Paris, he came in touch with the light and color use of the famous Impressionist. In 1888 he went to Arles and tried to establish an art colony with his friend Paul Gauguin. But then they had a serious quarrel about Van Gogh’s lifestyle that he took a razor and cut Paul Gauguin’s ear. Then Van Gogh’s brothers sent him to a mental hospital in Saint Remy de Provence. He spent there about a year. But during that period he made some of his best works like “Vincent’s Bedroom”, “Starry Night”.

This great and tragic painter shot himself in a state of depression on July 27, 1890.

Important Paintings of Vincent van Gogh:

1. The Potato Eaters (1885)

The Potato Eaters (1885)

2. At Eternity’s Gate (1882)

At Eternity’s Gate (1882)

3. Starry Night (1889)

Starry Night (1889)

4. Self-Portrait as an Artist(1888)

Self-Portrait as an Artist(1888)

5. Pollard Willows (1889)

Pollard Willows (1889)