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…
it’s a rlyyy cool painting, i love it, i’d get a poster of it, but it’s not a Monet. this is giving me van gogh vibes, and we already HAVE the van gogh version!
lovely day out in edinburgh today! couldn’t resist getting photos of some of my favourites of the paintings i got to see in the scottish national gallery!!
I drew this for an article at F Newsmagazine about the struggle to find a balance between art making and financial stability. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out!
“There may be a great fire in our hearts, yet no one ever comes to warm himself at it, and the passers-by see only a wisp of smoke.”
“If ever you fall in love, do so without reservation, or rather, if you should fall in love simply give no thought to any reservation.”
“It quite often makes me feel sad that painting’s like a bad mistress one might have, who’s always spending, spending and it’s never enough..”
“There are often beams in our eye that we know not of. Let us therefore ask that our eye may become single, for then we ourselves shall become wholly single.”
“Art is jealous and demands all our time and all our strength, and then when we dedicate these to it, it leaves rather a bitter taste to be taken for some kind of impractical person and I don’t know what else. Well, we just have to try and battle on.”
“I am seeking, I am striving,I am in it with all my heart.”
“Let us keep courage and try to be patient and gentle. And let us not mind being eccentric, and make distinction between good and evil.”
“I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.”
“Someday death will take us to another star.”
“…and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?”
