Who is Vincent Van Gogh: His Life, Art and Popular Works

Although Van Gogh is today one of the best-known post-Impressionist painters, he was not highly appreciated during his lifetime. He produced some of his most famous paintings in a mental hospital. 

Here are some of the curiosities about Vincent van Gogh's life; Who is Vincent van Gogh and what did he do? And Van Gogh's works...

Vincent van Gogh is one of the best known post-impressionist artists. He failed at many jobs before becoming an artist. Van Gogh was influenced by Japanese prints and engravings, which he studied extensively. The paintings he made with the encouragement of his brother brought him great fame after his death. So, who is Vincent van Gogh? Here is briefly Van Gogh's life...

His Life 

Vincent van Gogh was born in the Netherlands in 1853. Many members of his family worked in the art world. Vincent had two brothers and three sisters. He was closest to his younger brother Theo.

Although he enjoyed drawing as a young boy, Vincent did other jobs before deciding to work as a full-time artist. Teaching and the religious profession were just two of the jobs he held. Van Gogh decided to devote himself fully to art when he was around 27 years old.

Early Years In His Careers

When Vincent first started drawing, he used pencils or charcoal sticks. He liked to draw pictures of hardworking and poor people. Later on, he began to paint using oil paints.

In this early part of his career, Van Gogh used dark colors such as browns and dark greens. His paintings were often bleak His most important painting at that time is 'The Potato Eaters'. The Potato Eaters was a dark painting of a peasant family eating potatoes for dinner.

Most of what we know about Van Gogh comes from his letters to his brother Theo. Theo worked in an art gallery in Paris and supported Vincent's artistic career. He sent Vincent money and encouraged him to paint. Theo tried to sell Vincent's paintings, but at the time no one wanted to buy them.

Impressionist Period

Theo suggested that Vincent adopt a new style of painting called 'Impressionism' In Paris. In 1886 Vincent moved to Paris to explore Impressionism. He was influenced by painters such as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Camille Pissarro. During this time van Gogh began to use brighter colors. He painted subjects from the streets, cafes, and countryside of Paris. He also began to paint portraits of people. When he couldn't find models, he painted himself to practice. During this time he painted over twenty self-portraits.

In 1888, Van Gogh moved to Arles, France. He rented a yellow house to live in and invited Paul Gaugin to live with him. He loved the vibrant colors and the bright sun of Arles, and the colors in his paintings became more vivid and bright. Sometimes he would apply the paint directly onto the canvas from tubes, leaving it thick with rough brush strokes. Because the paint was so thick, it sometimes took weeks for his paintings to dry.

Vincent painted hundreds of paintings in Arles, sometimes painted several masterpieces in a single day. He became completely obsessed with art. Paul Gauguin came to Van Gogh wthh the encouragement of his brother Theo. During their stay together, they were influenced by each other's paintings. However, an argument between the two artists caused Gauguin to leave Arles and Van Gogh to cut off his ear.

Years In Mental Hospital

In 1889, Van Gogh wasn't able to take care of himself. He was hospitalized in a mental institution. There he painted Starry Night, one of his most famous paintings.  During this period, most of his paintings had many swirling colors.

His Death

Van Gogh's mental state continued to worsen after his hospitalization. On July 29, 1890, he died from a gunshot wound to the chest. Although his death was said to be a suicide, it was also thought that he was murdered. Vincent's death is still a controversial issue today.

• 1885 - The Potato Eaters

• 1888 - Café Terrace at Night

• 1888 - Bedroom in Arles

• 1888 - Sunflowers

• 1888 - Starry Night Over the Rhône

• 1889 - Self-Portrait

• 1889 - Starry Night

• 1889 - Self-Portrait With Bandaged Ear

• 1890 - Wheatfield with Crows

Despite the struggles he faced, Vincent van Gogh's impact on the art world cannot be denied. His bold use of color and expressive brushstrokes continue to inspire artists today and his work is celebrated for its beauty and emotional depth. He is remembered as one of the most influential and beloved artists in history.