Vincent van Gogh

PLEASE NOTE - SEE SAMPLES OF ARTWORK AFTER BIOGRAPHY SECTION 

Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890) was a Dutch Post Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in western art history. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, most of which date from the last two years of his life. They include landscapes, still lives, portraits and self-portraits, and are characterised by bold colours and dramatic, impulsive and expressive brushwork that contributed to the foundations of modern art. Not commercially successful, he struggled with severe depression and poverty, eventually leading to his suicide at age thirty-seven.

Born into an upper-middle class family, Van Gogh drew as a child and was serious, quiet, and thoughtful. As a young man, he worked as an art dealer, often traveling, but became depressed after he was transferred to London. He turned to religion and spent time as a Protestant missionary in southern Belgium. He drifted in ill health and solitude before taking up painting in 1881, having moved back home with his parents. His early works, mostly still life and depictions of peasant labors, contain few signs of the vivid colour that distinguished his later work. In 1886, he moved to Paris, where he met members of the avant-garde, including Emile Bernard and Paul Gauguin, who were reacting against the Impressionist  sensibility. As his work developed he created a new approach to still lifes and local landscapes. His paintings grew brighter as he developed a style that became fully realised during his stay in Arles in the South of France in 1888.

Van Gogh suffered from psychotic episodes and delusions and though he worried about his mental stability, he often neglected his physical health, did not eat properly and drank heavily. His friendship with Gauguin ended after a confrontation with a razor when, in a rage, he severed part of his own left ear. He spent time in psychiatric hospitals, including a period at Saint-Remy. His depression persisted, and on 27 July 1890, Van Gogh is believed to have shot himself in the chest with a revolver, dying from his injuries two days later.

Van Gogh was commercially unsuccessful during his lifetime, and he was considered a madman and a failure. As he only became famous after his suicide, he crame to be seen as a misunderstood genius in the public imagination. He attained widespread critical and commercial success over the ensuing decades, and is remembered as an important but tragic painter. Today, Van Gogh's works are among the world’s most expensive painting to have ever sold, and his legacy is honoured by a museum in his name, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, which holds the world's largest collection of his paintings and drawings.

“I put my heart and soul into my work, and I've lost my mind in the process”

- 𝒱𝒶𝓃 𝒢𝑜𝑔𝒽

Vincent van Gogh, one of the most influential artists of the 19th century, possessed a painting style that was characterized by vibrant colors, bold brushstrokes, and an emotionally charged intensity. His unique approach to art was marked by his ability to capture the essence of his subjects and convey his innermost feelings onto the canvas.
Van Gogh's use of color was striking and unprecedented. He had a deep understanding of how colors could evoke different emotions and sensations. He employed a rich and varied palette, infusing his paintings with hues that were often intense and electric. The colors he chose were not always true to life but were used to express his emotional response to the scene he was depicting.
The application of paint was equally crucial to Van Gogh's style. He employed thick and impasto brushstrokes that added a sense of texture and dynamics to his works. His brushwork was spontaneous and energetic, reflecting the intensity of his emotions and the urgency with which he worked. Van Gogh's brushstrokes seemed to dance across the canvas, creating a visual rhythm that enhanced the overall impact of his paintings.
Another notable aspect of Van Gogh's style was his ability to capture light and its transformative effects. He often depicted scenes from nature, such as landscapes, flowers, and skies, using light and color to create a sense of movement and energy. His skies were swirling masses of color, conveying a sense of turbulence and turmoil. The play of light and shadows in his paintings added depth and dimension, creating a sense of three-dimensionality on a two-dimensional surface.
Perhaps one of the most captivating elements of Van Gogh's painting style was his ability to convey the emotional and psychological state of his subjects. Whether it was a self-portrait or a depiction of a simple everyday scene, Van Gogh infused his works with a sense of heightened emotion. His use of color, brushwork, and composition allowed the viewer to connect on a deeply personal level and experience the raw intensity of his artistic vision.
In conclusion, Vincent van Gogh's painting style was a unique blend of vibrant colors, bold brushstrokes, and emotionally charged intensity. His ability to capture the essence of his subjects and convey his innermost feelings through his art continues to inspire and captivate audiences to this day.

Click this link for video of 825 paintings by Vincent: https://youtu.be/CVCg9KAi9wM