NAVIGATIONALL ARTISTS
Vincent
Willem van Gogh (March 30, 1853 – July 29, 1890) a Dutch
Post-Impressionist artist, is one of the most well known artists of all
time. A pioneer of Expressionism, van Gogh created over 2000 sketches,
drawings, and paintings in a mere 10 years. The most well known pieces
were created in the last two years of his life. He is undoubtedly one
of the most prolific and greatest artists of the 19th century creating
some of the most expensive pieces in history. Unfortunately mental illness,
including the cutting off of his own ear, led to his early demise.
Vincent was born to Anna Cornelia Carbentus and Dutch Reform Church Minister
Theodorus van Gogh and was given the name of his grandfather. This name
had been given to a stillborn one year earlier and it has been said that
this might have had an emotional impact on the young Vincent and later
on his art. Theodorus or Theo was born to the family four years later
and became an important figure in Vincent’s life. Theo provided
financial support throughout Vincent’s life and they would come
to exchange hundreds of letters.
Though van Gogh did not begin his career as an artist until the age of
27 in 1880, he enjoyed drawing and sketching and worked early in life,
at the age of 15, as an assistant to an art dealer at which he excelled.
But after being rejected by his landlady’s daughter and becoming
distraught and overwhelmingly religious, he was fired. He then worked
briefly as a teacher before finding his true calling to preach the gospel
and he became a minister’s assistant. He wished to become a pastor
but failed at his studies.
In 1880 at the suggestion of Theo and Dutch artist Willem Roelofs, van
Gogh began studying at the Royal Academy of Art. Over the next few years,
he continued in his artistic pursuits and created his first major work
in 1885 with “The Potato Eaters”. His early paintings were
not of the bright colors for which he is most known, his early work was
more made up of earth tones, until his move to Paris and his contact with
Impressionism. And though Theo was attempting to sell his brother’s
work, he would complain that Vincent’s art was too dark and not
in style.
In spring of 1886, van Gogh moved to Paris and came into contact with
such great impressionists as Toulouse-Lautrec, viewed works by Paul Cezanne,
and Theo was keeping paintings in his gallery of the greats such as Monet
and Degas. Vincent met and became friends with Paul Gauguin. At first,
Vincent rejected this new style and left Paris after 2 years and nearly
200 works. He then moved to Arles where he truly began his life as The
Artist Vincent van Gogh the world has come to know.
Over the course of the next two years, between 1888 and 1890, van Gogh
created the bulk of his work and most of his masterpieces using bright
and brilliant colors and came into his own as an Post-Impressionist. But
the effects of his mental illness would soon overwhelm him and after a
fight with Gauguin van Gogh cut off a piece of his own ear. He committed
himself to a mental hospital in Saint Remy in May of 1889 where he would
paint one his most recognized paintings “The Starry Night”.
His depression would continue to grow and he moved to Auvers and to Dr.
Paul Gachet. (His portrait of the doctor would sell for over $80 million
in 1890) Van Gogh committed suicide on July 27, 1890. Theo followed his
beloved brother to the grave a mere 6 months later.
