Artist of the Day Vincent Van Gogh When people think of a tortured, starved artist, they think of V

Artist of the Day

Vincent Van Gogh

When people think of a tortured, starved artist, they think of Van Gogh. Everyone knows of his passion for life, that he loved his brother Theo dearly, his mental decline leaving him institutionalized in 1889, that he cut off his ear and sent it in the mail to a prostitute he loved, and most notably, that he shot himself in the chest on a very sunny day in 1890 dyeing of his wounds days later with Theo at his bedside…

In recent years this archaic view of Van Gogh has been closely examined and art historians and researches are finding that Van Gogh may not have been just as raving mad as we have all found him to be. And that he certainly did not end his life in 1890 in Auvers-sur-Oise, France…

Vincent Willem van Gogh was born on the 30th of March in 1853 in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands. He was born the oldest child of Theodorus Van Gogh, the minister of the Dutch Reformed Church and mother Anna Cornelia Carbentus. Vincent was named after his grandfather on his fathers side and of a brother stillborn a year before Vincent’s birth. Re-using a name was not uncommon. Vincent came from a long legacy of art dealers and artists. In 1866, Vincent went to Willem II College in Tilburg. There at the school he was taught how to draw by Parisian artist, C. C. Huysmans. Vincent continued drawing throughout the years until in 1880 after working as a priest in Borinage, Belgium in a coal mining town he was relieved of his duty by the priesthood. He then stayed in Cuesmes in 1880 where he decided to become an artist. There in Cuesmes he housed with a coal miner, at this point in his life Theo was supporting his rent and painting supplies. Vincent painting the coal miners at work and did sketches and studies of people and landscape. In 1886, Vincent would travel to Paris to live with his brother where he came across many impressionist painters and where Van Gogh claimed to have “discovered true color." 

Leaving Paris, Van Gogh travels to Arles where he has means to create an artists community. Joined by Gauguin on October 23rd. He was the only artist to ever be apart of Van Gogh’s artists community. Gauguin’s sole motive for going to Arles at all was because Theo promised to sell more of Gaugin’s works if he studied with his brother in Arles. In December of 1888, Gaugin and Van Gogh begin having personality conflicts in their small house, Gaugin needs his space and Van Gogh is on the brink of his insanity. After the mutilation of Van Gogh’s ear on the 23rd of December; Gaugin leaves Arles immediately. They never hear from each other again. 1889, Van Gogh submits himself into a mental hospital in Arles. Reaching the end years of his life Van Gogh is painting every day, all day, some would argue the last five years of his short life was his most productive. And in 1890 in Auvers-sur-Oise, 17 miles from Theo in Paris, and under the urgent care of Dr. Paul Gachet; Van Gogh shoots himself in the chest in a field near Dr. Gachet’s house. Van Gogh dies two days later with Theo at his bedside at the age of 37.

Whether Van Gogh shot himself or if he was shot is still under investigation, It seems unlikely for a man to shoot himself in the chest with intent to end his life. Many art historians are looking towards more logical deductions, the general consensus is that the weapon misfired while in his possession. The truth of Van Gogh’s intent will forever remain a mystery…