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Vincent Van Gogh was a post-Impressionist artist who is known for his unique, expressive style of painting.
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Early life and education
Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853, in the Netherlands. His father, named Theodorus van Gogh, was a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. His mother, named Anna Cornelia Carbentus, was a daughter of a bookseller. Vincent had two brothers: Theo, who later became an art dealer and helped support Vincent financially, and Cornelius (“Cor”), who became a successful art dealer in London. In 1869, at the age of 16, Vincent went to work for his Uncle Cent in The Hague branch of Goupil & Cie, an international art dealership.
First artworks
Van Gogh’s first artworks were drawings and paintings of weavers and peasants executed in a dark palette of browns, greens, and gray. He often visited the weavers in their cottages, and he also made drawings of them at work. These early works reveal the influence of the Dutch Golden Age masters Rembrandt, Hals, and others.
The Hague
In the Netherlands, Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) is one of the most famous painters. He did not achieve this status until after his death, however. In the years following his death, his brother Theo, who had been Vincent’s biggest supporter, worked hard to promote Vincent’s paintings. Many of Vincent’s best-known paintings were done during the last two years of his life, when he lived in the south of France.
Paris
In 1886, Van Gogh left the Netherlands for Paris, France, in an attempt to further his artistic career. Initially, he was very excited to be in the “city of lights” and was inspired by the works of the Impressionists he saw in Parisian art galleries. However, he soon became disillusioned with the direction that French painting was going and instead became interested in Japanese woodblock prints. He was also deeply moved by the suffering he saw around him, particularly among the working class, and this led him to produce some of his most memorable works from his time in Paris.
Arles
When thinking about the great post-impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh, one often imagines bright and beautiful sunflowers, or a lone figure walking down a dusty road in the midst of a wheat field. However, what is often overlooked are the dark and sometimes disturbing paintings he made during his stay in the city of Arles. It was during this time that Van Gogh began to experiment with different colors and brushstrokes, and his work took on a more emotive quality.
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Between February 1888 and May 1889, Vincent van Gogh lived in the town of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in the south of France. During that time, he produced some of his most famous paintings, including “Starry Night” and “The Cafe Terrace at Night.”
While in Saint-Rémy, van Gogh was influenced by the area’s landscapes and its medieval architecture. He also frequently painted scenes from everyday life, such as farmers working in the fields or people enjoying a drink at a cafe.
Auvers-sur-Oise
In his last months, Vincent van Gogh moved to the village of Auvers-sur-Oise, near Paris. Van Gogh arrived in Auvers on 20 May 1890.
Dr Paul Gachet lived in Auvers and was both a homeopathic physician and a painter. Dr Gachet had treated mental patients before and was intrigued by van Gogh’s case. The artist went to visit Dr Gachet almost as soon as he arrived in town.
Van Gogh painted several portraits of Dr Gachet, the first in June 1890.
Later artworks
In his later artworks, Vincent Van Gogh experimented with a variety of techniques and subjects. He continued to explore the use of color and light, and often incorporated elements from nature into his paintings. One of his most famous artworks from this period is “Starry Night,” which depicts a whirling night sky.
Death
In just a decade, Vincent van Gogh created about 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings and more than 1,300 watercolors, drawings, sketches and prints. His work included self-portraits, landscapes, still lifes, portraits and paintings of cypresses, wheat fields and sunflowers.
Legacy
Vincent van Gogh is one of the most famous artists of all time, and his paintings are instantly recognizable. His bold use of color and expressive brushwork have made him a hugely influential figure in the history of art, and his work continues to be popular today. But what kind of art did van Gogh do?
Van Gogh was primarily a painter, but he also dabbled in other forms of art, including drawing and printmaking. He is best known for his paintings, which often featured scenes from ordinary life, landscapes, and portraits. However, he also produced some iconic images that were based on his own imagination, such as “Starry Night” and “The Café Terrace at Night.”
While van Gogh is most famous for his paintings, he actually produced more than 2,000 works of art during his lifetime. This includes 900 paintings, 1,100 drawings, and 700 letters. Van Gogh’s legacy continues to live on through his artworks, which are some of the most recognizable and beloved in the world.
