Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh Self Portrait At Easel (1888)

Vincent Willem van Gogh (1853-1890) was a Dutch-born Post-Impressionist painter whose work was highly influential on 20^th century art. He is often considered the greatest Dutch painter after Rembrandt, and is one of the greatest and most widely known Post Impressionist painters. 

The Starry Night (1888) (Courtesy of  wikiart.org)

After years of struggling with mental illness he died at age 37, from what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The nature of his mental illness and how significantly it affected his work has been widely debated. There has been much debate as to the source of van Gogh's illness and its effect on his work. Possible diagnoses include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, syphilis, epilepsy and even poisoning from swallowed paints. Any of these could have been the cause, aggravated by malnutrition, overwork, insomnia, and excessive alcohol use. 

The Night Cafe (1888)

In spite of his illness, his paintings showed great skill and beauty. Most of his best-known and loved paintings were completed during the last two years of his life. In just over a decade, he produced more than 2,100 artworks: these included more than 1,300 watercolors, 860 oil paintings, and also many drawings, sketches and prints. 

Still Life Vase With Fifteen Sunflowers (1888)

He began to draw as a child but did not paint until his late twenties. He worked for a firm of art dealers, and then became a teacher in England. A deeply religious young man, he aspired to be a pastor at one time, and began working as a missionary in a mining community in Belgium in 1879. He began to sketch the local people, and in 1885, painted The Potato Eaters, his first major work.  His painting at the time employed mostly earth tones, and had not taken on the bold, vivid coloration of his later works.

The Potato Eaters (1885)

In 1886, he moved to Paris, where he discovered the French Impressionists, and met and worked with many other artists. In Paris, he painted portraits of friends and acquaintances, still-life paintings, and scenes of the city and of the Seine. During his stay in Paris, he collected hundreds of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Some of these prints are visible in the backgrounds of several of his paintings. In his 1888 Portrait of Père Tanguy, several of these prints can be seen hanging on the wall behind the main figure. 

Portrait of Pere Tanguy (1888) (Courtesy of wikiart.org)

In Paris, he lived for a time with his brother Theo. Theo owned an art gallery on Boulevard Montmartre.  The relationship between the brothers was stormy, and although the two eventually made peace, Vincent moved to a northern suburb of Paris in 1887, where he was influenced by Pointillism, a technique in which a multitude of small colored dots are applied to the canvas in such a way that an optical blend of hues is created when they are viewed from a distance. This style utilizes complementary colors, such as blue and orange, to form vibrant contrasts which are enhanced when they are juxtaposed. 

Suburbs of Paris (1887) (Courtesy of wikiart.org)

In 1888, Vincent moved to Arles in the south of France and was influenced by the intense sunlight of the region. Here he began to paint with brighter colors, and he developed his unique and recognizable style.   

Vincent's Bedroom At Arles (1888)

He moved to Arles hoping to find refuge from his personal struggles, including illness brought on by excessive drinking and smoking. In Arles, he was inspired by the light and the local people and scenery. 


 

Cafe Terrace Place-du Forum Arles (1888) (Courtesy of wikiart.org)

He worked for a time with artist Paul Gauguin. They both found inspiration in Arles, and  often painted together. But they had a tumultuous friendship, and soon considerable tension grew between them.

Van Gogh Painting Sunflowers by Paul Gauguin (1888) (Courtesy of wikiart.org)

Vincent's mental illness was worsening, and in December 1888, he infamously cut off his left ear, and was hospitalized. It is unknown what led to this event, but it is speculated that it may have been the discord between he and Gauguin, or it may have been a romantic disappointment involving a local prostitute.

The Grounds of the Asylum (1889) (Courtesy of wikiart.org)

He returned home in January 1889, but suffered from hallucinations and delusions that he was being poisoned, and had to keep returning to the hospital. In May 1889, he entered a mental asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

Green Wheatfield with Cypress (1889) (Courtesy of wikiart.org)

The hospital is located in an area of cornfields, vineyards, and olive trees. During his stay, the hospital interior and its garden became the main subjects of his paintings. Some of the work from this time is characterized by swirls, including one of Vincent's best-known paintings, Starry Night. He was allowed short supervised walks, which led to paintings of olive trees and cypresses that were part of the local landscape. 

Starry Night (1889)

In the last year of his life, he had episodes where he found it impossible to paint, due to his hallucinations and depression. In May 1890, Vincent left the clinic in Saint-Remy to move to Auvers-sur-Oise. He wanted to be nearer to his brother Theo, and also to the physician Dr. Paul Gachet. The doctor had treated several other artists and was himself an amateur artist. 

Dr. Paul Gachet (1890) (Courtesy of wikiart.org)

 

Although suffering with severe mental illness, he continued to be a prolific painter. In the 70 days he spent in Auvers-sur-Oise, he was able to paint approximately 70 oils, which continued to show innovation and creative intensity. Wheat Field with Crows, painted in July 1890, one of his last paintings, is an example of the use of double square canvases that he developed in the last weeks of his life, in which he paired two square blank canvases to form a single, larger canvas. 

 

 

Wheat Field With Crows (1890)

On July 27, 1890, Vincent is believed to have shot himself in the chest with a revolver, although no gun was ever found, and there were no witnesses. After the shooting, he sought medical attention, and was able to walk back to his apartment after the shooting. Two physicians saw him, but without a surgeon present the bullet could not be removed. The following morning, Theo rushed to be with his brother as soon as he was notified. Within hours of Theo’s arrival, Vincent began to fail due to an untreated infection caused by the wound, and sadly died later that evening.

Red Poppies and Daisies (1890) (Courtesy of wikiart.org) 

He did not achieve fame or fortune in his lifetime, and had no idea when he died how influential his work would become to modern artists. In recent years, his paintings have sold for record breaking amounts, and reproductions of his art can be found on posters, calendars, and other gift items, as well as online, and continues to inspire millions of people around the world. This beautiful song from 1972 by Don McLean pays tribute to this wonderful artist. Please click on the link below to view a video which displays the song lyrics against a slide show of many of van Gogh's most beautiful paintings.