Vincent Willem Van Gogh

1853-1890

Life;

Vincent Willem Van Gogh, son of Theodorus Van Gogh (1822-1885) and Anna Cornelia Nee Carbentus
(1819-1907), Born in Groot Zundert a small villiage in Holland, March 30, 1853. Vincent had relatives in
the art/artist talent business. A cousin named Anton Mauve, who was into landscape painting, and two
uncles that specialized in art dealings. When Vincent was 16 he began working at Goupil galleries as a
salesman, in Hague. Then a transfer to the Longon Office took place in 1873.
After transfering to London, England Vincent had an unhappy love affair that touched off his natrually
unstable temperament, in which caused him his dismissal from the Paris Branch.
Vincent was drawn toward religion and enlisted into Greek and Latin courses in Amsterdamn. Vincent
failed these courses and was sent on a Lay Missionary to Belgian Mining District, other known as
Borinage. The mission was discontinued in 1879.
Going back to the Hague, an incident with an alcholic prostitute was the cause of Vincent's leaving the
Hague once again in 1883.
On July 27, 1980 Vincent shot himself and two days later died. This suicide happened after cutting part of
his own ear off, which was caused by an attack of insanity. Following that incident he spent a period of
time in saint-Remy-De-Provence Asylum.

Work;

Unfortunately Van Gogh only sold on painting in his entire life time, but the influence he protrayed began a
steady growth after his death.
Style of Van Gogh's, underwent crucial changes during 1886-1888. The colors brightened, and brush
stroked became freely expressed just as shown below;

1888 till Van Gogh's death in 1890 was when this famous Dutch painter painted most of his important
work. Van Gogh painted mostly landscapes. For example; A Wheat feild, with Cypresses 1889. ABOVE
Most postimpressionist artists rejected the impressionists ways of describing objects naturalistically. Van
Gogh made paintings objectivly through expressive use of color and line.

It was not untill the last few years of Van Gogh's life id the syle he used reach full maturity. Paintings of
his most famous work consisted of; The Chair and the Pipe 1888-1889, The olive Grove 1889, Potato
Eaters 1885, Cafe at Night1888, Portrait of Dr. Gachet 1890, and last but not least Starry Night 1889.

During Van Gogh's last period his art created a revolution in modern painting . Fauvism and German
expression was GREATLY influenced by his work. Vincent's early work consisted of somber monumental
studies of peasents. Hence the portrait, Potato Eaters 1885.