Biography of Vincent van Gogh. Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh is a Dutch artist, one of the brightest representatives of post-impressionism. He worked a lot and fruitfully: for a little over ten years he created such a number of works that none of the famous painters had. He painted portraits and self-portraits, landscapes and still lifes, cypresses, wheat fields and sunflowers.

The artist was born near the southern border of the Netherlands in the village of Grot-Zundert. This event in the family of pastor Theodor van Gogh and his wife Anna Cornelia Carbentus happened on March 30, 1853. In total, there were six children in the Van Gogh family. The younger brother Theo helped Vincent throughout his life, took an active part in his difficult fate.

In the family, Vincent was a difficult, naughty child with some oddities, so he was often punished. Outside the house, on the contrary, he looked thoughtful, serious and quiet. He hardly played with children. The villagers considered him a modest, sweet, friendly and compassionate child. At the age of 7, he was sent to a village school, a year later they were taken away from there and taught at home, in the fall of 1864 the boy was taken to a boarding school in Zevenbergen.

Departure hurts the boy's soul and causes him much suffering. In 1866 he was transferred to another boarding school. Vincent is good at languages, and here he gets his first drawing skills. In 1868, in the middle of the school year, he left school and went home. His education ends there. He remembers his childhood as something cold and gloomy.

Traditionally, the Van Gogh generations realized themselves in two areas of activity: the sale of paintings and church activities. Vincent will try himself both as a preacher and as a merchant, giving his whole self to the work. Having achieved some success, he refuses both, consecrating his life and all of himself to painting.

Carier start

In 1868, a fifteen-year-old boy entered the branch of the art firm Goupil & Co. in The Hague. For good work and curiosity, he is sent to the London branch. During the two years that Vincent spent in London, he becomes a real businessman and connoisseur of engravings of English masters, quotes Dickens and Eliot, gloss appears in him. Van Gogh is waiting for the prospect of a brilliant commissioner of the central branch of Goupil in Paris, where he was supposed to move.

Pages from the book of letters to brother Theo

In 1875, events occurred that changed his life. In a letter to Theo, he calls his condition "painful loneliness." Researchers of the artist's biography suggest that the reason for this condition is rejected love. Who was the object of this love is not exactly known. It is possible that this version is wrong. The transfer to Paris did not help to change the situation either. He lost interest in Goupil and was fired.

Theology and missionary activity

In search of himself, Vincent is affirmed in his religious destiny. In 1877 he moved to his uncle Johannes in Amsterdam and was preparing to enter the Faculty of Theology. In his studies, he is disappointed, quits classes and leaves. The desire to serve people leads him to a missionary school. In 1879, he received a position as a preacher in Vama in the south of Belgium.

He teaches the Law of God at the mining center in Borinage, helps the families of miners, visits the sick, teaches children, reads sermons, draws maps of Palestine to earn money. He himself lives in a miserable shack, eats water and bread, sleeps on the floor, torturing himself physically. In addition, he helps workers to defend their rights.

Local authorities remove him from his post, as they do not accept violent activity and extremes. During this period, he draws a lot of miners, their wives and children.

Becoming an artist

To get away from the depression associated with the events in Paturage, Van Gogh turns to painting. Brother Theo gives him support and he attends the Academy of Fine Arts. But a year later, he drops out of school and goes to his parents, continuing to study on his own.

Falls in love again. This time to my cousin. His feelings do not find an answer, but he continues courtship, which irritates his relatives, who asked him to leave. Due to a new shock, he gives up his personal life, leaves for The Hague to take up painting. Here he takes lessons from Anton Mauve, works hard, observes city life, mainly in poor neighborhoods. Studying the “Drawing Course” by Charles Bargue, copying lithographs. He masters the mixing of various techniques on canvas, achieving interesting color shades in his works.

Once again he tries to start a family with a pregnant street woman whom he meets on the street. A woman with children moves in with him and becomes a model for the artist. Because of this, he quarrels with relatives and friends. Vincent himself feels happy, but not for long. The difficult nature of the cohabitant turned his life into a nightmare, and they parted.

The artist goes to the province of Drenthe in the north of the Netherlands, lives in a hut, which he equipped as a workshop, paints landscapes, peasants, scenes from their work and life. The early works of Van Gogh, with reservations, but can be called realistic. The lack of academic education affected his drawing, in the inaccuracy of the depiction of human figures.

From Drent he moves to his parents in Nuenen, he draws a lot. Hundreds of drawings and paintings were created during this period. Simultaneously with creativity, she is engaged in painting with students, reads a lot and takes music lessons. The themes of the works of the Dutch period are simple people and scenes painted in an expressive manner with a predominance of a dark palette, gloomy and deaf tones. The masterpieces of this period include the painting "Potato Eaters" (1885), depicting a scene from the life of peasants.

Parisian period

After much thought, Vincent decides to live and work in Paris, where he moves at the end of February 1886. Here he meets his brother Theo, who has risen to the director of an art gallery. The artistic life of the French capital of this period is in full swing.

A significant event is the Impressionist exhibition on Rue Lafitte. Signac and Seurat are exhibiting there for the first time, leading the Post-Impressionist movement that marked the final stage of Impressionism. Impressionism is a revolution in art that changed the approach to painting, displacing academic techniques and subjects. At the forefront is the first impression, pure colors, preference is given to painting in the open air.

In Paris, Van Gogh is taken care of by his brother Theo, settles him in his house, and introduces him to artists. In the workshop of the traditionalist artist Fernand Cormon, he met Toulouse-Lautrec, Emile Bernard and Louis Anquetin. Impressionist and post-impressionist paintings make a huge impression on him. In Paris, he became addicted to absinthe and even writes a still life on this subject.

Painting "Still life with absinthe"

The Parisian period (1886-1888) turned out to be the most fruitful, the collection of his works was replenished with 230 canvases. It was the time of the search for technology, the study of innovative trends in modern painting. He has a new view of painting. The realistic approach is replaced by a new manner, gravitating towards impressionism and post-impressionism, which is reflected in his still lifes with flowers and landscapes.

His brother introduces him to the most prominent representatives of this trend: Camille Pissarro, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and others. With his friends, artists often goes to the open air. His palette gradually brightens, becomes brighter, and eventually turns into a riot of colors, characteristic of his work in recent years.

Fragment of the painting “Agostina Segatori in a cafe”

In Paris, Van Gogh communicates a lot, visits the same places where his brothers go. In "Tambourine" he even starts a little romance with his mistress Agostina Segatori, who once posed for Degas. From it, he paints a portrait at a table in a cafe and several works in the nude style. Another meeting place was papa Tanga's shop, where paints and other materials for artists were sold. Here, as in many other similar institutions, artists exhibited their work.

A group of Small Boulevards is being formed, which includes Van Gogh and his comrades, who have not reached such heights as the masters of the Grand Boulevards - more famous and recognized. The spirit of rivalry and tension that reigned in the Parisian society of that time become unbearable for an impulsive and uncompromising artist. He enters into disputes, quarrels and decides to leave the capital.

severed ear

In February 1888, he goes to Provence and becomes attached to it with all his heart. Theo sponsors his brother, sending him 250 francs a month. In gratitude, Vincent sends his paintings to his brother. He rents four rooms in a hotel, eats in a cafe, the owners of which become his friends and pose for pictures.

With the advent of spring, the artist is captivated by blossoming trees pierced by the southern sun. He is delighted with the bright colors and transparency of the air. The ideas of impressionism are gradually leaving, but fidelity to the light palette and painting in the open air remains. The works are dominated by yellow, which acquires a special radiance coming from the depths.

Vincent Van Gogh. Self-portrait with severed ear

To work at night in the open air, he fixes candles on his hat and sketchbook, illuminating his workplace in this way. This is how his paintings "Starry Night over the Rhone" and "Night Cafe" were painted. An important event is the arrival of Paul Gauguin, whom Vincent repeatedly invited to Arles. An enthusiastic and fruitful cohabitation ends in a quarrel and a break. Self-confident, pedantic Gauguin was the complete opposite of the uncollected and restless Van Gogh.

The epilogue of this story is a stormy showdown before Christmas 1888, when Vincent cut off his ear. Gauguin, frightened that they were going to attack him, hid in the hotel. Vincent wrapped the bloody earlobe in paper and sent it to their mutual friend, the prostitute Rachel. In a pool of blood, he was discovered by his friend Roulin. The wound heals quickly, but mental health sends him back to the hospital bed.

Death

The inhabitants of Arles begin to fear a city dweller unlike them. In 1889, they write a petition demanding that they be rid of the "red-haired madman." Vincent realizes the danger of his condition and voluntarily goes to the hospital of St. Paul of Mausoleum in Saint-Remy. During treatment, he is allowed to write on the street under the supervision of medical staff. This is how his works with characteristic wavy lines and swirls appeared (“Starry night”, “Road with cypresses and a star”, etc.).

Painting “Starry night”

In Saint-Remy, periods of intense activity are replaced by long breaks caused by depression. At the time of one of the crises, he swallows paint. Despite the increased aggravation of the disease, Theo's brother encourages his participation in the September Salon des Indépendants in Paris. In January 1890, Vincent exhibits "Red Vineyards at Arles" and sells them for four hundred francs, which is a pretty decent amount. It was the only painting sold during his lifetime.

Painting "Red Vineyards in Arles"

His joy was immeasurable. The artist did not stop working. The success of the Vineyards is also inspired by his brother Theo. He supplies Vincent with paints, but Vincent begins to eat them. In May 1890, the brother negotiates with the homeopathic therapist Dr. Gachet about the treatment of Vincent in his clinic. The doctor himself is fond of drawing, so he happily takes up the treatment of the artist. Vincent is also disposed towards Gache, sees in him a kind-hearted and optimistic person.

A month later, Van Gogh is allowed to travel to Paris. His brother does not welcome him very kindly. He has financial problems, his daughter is very sick. Vincent is unbalanced by such a reception, he understands that he is becoming, perhaps, and has always been a burden for his brother. Shocked, he returns to the clinic.

Fragment of the painting "Road with cypresses and a star"

On July 27, as usual, he goes to the open air, but returns not with sketches, but with a bullet in his chest. The bullet fired by him from the pistol hit the rib and went away from the heart. The artist himself returned to the shelter and went to bed. Lying in bed, he calmly smoked his pipe. It seemed that the wound did not cause him pain.

Gachet summoned Theo by telegram. He immediately arrived, began to reassure his brother that they would help him, that there was no need to indulge in despair. The answer was the phrase: "Sorrow will last forever." The artist died on July 29, 1890 at half past one in the night. He was buried in the town of Mary on July 30.

Many of his artist friends came to say goodbye to the artist. The walls of the room were hung with his latest paintings. Dr. Gachet wanted to make a speech, but he cried so hard that he managed to utter only a few words, the essence of which was that Vincent was a great artist and an honest man, that art, which for him was above all, would repay him by perpetuating his name .

The artist's brother Theo van Gogh passed away six months later. He did not forgive himself for quarrels with his brother. His despair, which he shares with his mother, becomes unbearable, and he falls ill with a nervous breakdown. Here is what he wrote in a letter to his mother after the death of his brother:

“It is impossible to describe my grief, as it is impossible to find consolation. It is a grief that will last and from which, of course, I will never get rid of as long as I live. The only thing that can be said is that he himself found the peace he longed for... Life was such a heavy burden for him, but now, as often happens, everyone praises his talents... Oh, mother! He was so mine, my own brother."

Theo van Gogh, the artist's brother

And this is Vincent's last letter, written by him after the quarrel:

“It seems to me that since everyone is a little nervous and also too busy, it’s not worth it to sort out all the relationships to the end. I was a little surprised that you seem to want to rush things. How can I help, or rather, what can I do to make it suit you? One way or another, mentally again I firmly shake hands with you and, in spite of everything, I was glad to see you all. Don't doubt it."

In 1914, Theo's remains were reburied by his widow next to Vincent's grave.

Personal life

One of the reasons for Van Gogh's mental illness could be his failed personal life, he never found a life partner. The first fit of despair came after the refusal of the daughter of his housewife Ursula Leuer, with whom he had been secretly in love for a long time. The proposal sounded unexpected, shocked the girl, and she rudely refused.

History repeated itself with widowed cousin Key Stricker Voe, but this time Vincent decides not to give up. The woman does not accept courtship. On his third visit to his beloved's relatives, he sticks his hand into the flame of a candle, promising to keep her there until she gives her consent to become his wife. By this act, he finally convinced the girl's father that he was dealing with a mentally ill person. They did not stand on ceremony with him anymore and simply escorted him out of the house.

Sexual dissatisfaction was reflected in his nervous state. Vincent begins to like prostitutes, especially not very young and not very beautiful, whom he could bring up. Soon he decides on a pregnant prostitute who moves in with his 5-year-old daughter. After the birth of his son, Vincent becomes attached to the children and thinks about getting married.

The woman posed for the artist and lived with him for about a year. Because of her, he had to be treated for gonorrhea. Relations deteriorated completely when the artist saw how cynical, cruel, sloppy and unbridled she was. After parting, the lady indulged in her former occupations, and Van Gogh left The Hague.

Margot Begemann in youth and maturity

In recent years, Vincent has been stalked by a 41-year-old woman named Margot Begemann. She was a neighbor of the artist in Nuenen and really wanted to get married. Van Gogh, rather out of pity, agrees to marry her. Parents did not give consent to this marriage. Margo almost committed suicide, but Van Gogh saved her. In the following period, he has many promiscuity, he visits brothels and from time to time is treated for venereal diseases.

Vincent van Gogh, who gave the world his "Sunflowers" and "Starry Night", was one of the greatest artists of all time. A small grave in the French countryside became his final resting place. He fell asleep forever among those landscapes that Van Gogh left on his own - an artist who will never be forgotten. For the sake of art, he sacrificed everything ...

A unique talent gifted by nature

"There is something of a delightful symphony in color." There was a creative genius behind these words. Moreover, he was intelligent and sensitive. The whole depth and style of this man's life is often misunderstood. Van Gogh, whose biography has been carefully studied by many generations, is the most incomprehensible creator in the history of art.

First of all, the reader must understand that Vincent is not only the one who went crazy and shot himself. Many people know that Van Gogh cut off his ear, and someone knows that he painted a whole series of paintings about sunflowers. But there are very few who really understand what talent Vincent possessed, what a unique gift he was awarded by nature.

The sad birth of a great creator

On March 30, 1853, the cry of a newborn child cut through the silence. The long-awaited baby was born in the family of Anna Cornelia and pastor Theodore Van Gogh. It happened a year after the tragic death of their first child, who died within hours of being born. When registering this baby, identical data were indicated, and the long-awaited son was given the name of the lost child - Vincent William.

Thus began the saga of one of the world's most famous artists in the rural wilderness of the south of the Netherlands. His birth was associated with sad events. It was a child conceived after a bitter loss, born to people who were still mourning their dead firstborn.

Vincent's childhood

Every Sunday, this red-haired freckled boy went to church, where he listened to his parent's sermons. His father was a minister of the Dutch Protestant Church, and Vincent van Gogh grew up in accordance with the standards of education adopted in religious families.

In Vincent's time, there was an unspoken rule. The eldest son must follow in the footsteps of his father. This is how it should have happened. This placed a heavy burden on the shoulders of the young Van Gogh. While the boy sat on the pew, listening to his father's sermons, he fully understood what was expected of him. And, of course, then Vincent van Gogh, whose biography had not yet been connected with art in any way, did not know that in the future he would decorate his father's Bible with illustrations.

Between art and religion

The Church occupied an important place in Vincent's life and had a great influence on him. Being a sensitive and impressionable person, throughout his restless life he was torn between religious zeal and a craving for art.

In 1857 his brother Theo was born. None of the boys knew then that Theo would play a big role in Vincent's life. They spent many happy days. We walked for a long time among the surrounding fields and knew all the paths around.

The giftedness of young Vincent

Nature in the rural outback, where Vincent van Gogh was born and raised, would later become a red thread running through all his art. The hard work of the peasants left a deep impression in his soul. He developed a romantic perception of rural life, respected the inhabitants of this area and was proud of their neighborhood. After all, they earned their living by honest and hard work.

Vincent van Gogh was a man who adored everything related to nature. He saw beauty in everything. The boy often drew and did it with such feeling and attention to detail, which are more often characteristic of a more mature age. He demonstrated the skills and craftsmanship of an experienced artist. Vincent was truly gifted.

Communication with mother and her love for art

Vincent's mother, Anna Cornelia, was a good artist and strongly supported her son's love for nature. He often took walks alone, enjoying the peace and tranquility of the endless fields and canals. When dusk was gathering and the fog was falling, Van Gogh returned to a cozy house, where the fire crackled pleasantly and his mother's knitting needles pounded in time with him.

She loved art and carried on an extensive correspondence. Vincent adopted this habit of hers. He wrote letters until the end of his days. Thanks to this, Van Gogh, whose biography began to be studied by specialists after his death, could not only reveal his feelings, but also recreate many of the events associated with his life.

Mother and son spent long hours together. They drew with a pencil and paints, had lengthy conversations about the love of art and nature that united them. Father, meanwhile, was in the study, preparing for the Sunday sermon in the church.

Rural life away from politics

The imposing Zundert administration building was directly opposite their house. Once Vincent drew buildings, looking out of the window of his bedroom, located on the top floor. Later, he repeatedly depicted scenes seen from this window. Looking at his talented drawings of that period, one can hardly believe that he was only nine years old.

Contrary to the expectations of his father, a passion for drawing and nature took root in the boy. He had amassed an impressive collection of insects and knew how they were all called in Latin. Very soon, the ivy and moss of the damp dense forest became his friends. In the depths of his soul, he was a true rural boy, explored the Zundert canals, caught tadpoles with a net.

Van Gogh's life took place away from politics, wars and all other events taking place in the world. His world was formed around beautiful colors, interesting, and peaceful landscapes.

Communication with peers or home education?

Unfortunately, his special attitude to nature made him an outcast among other village children. He was not popular. The rest of the boys were mostly the sons of peasants, they loved the turmoil of rural life. Sensitive and sensitive Vincent, who was interested in books and nature, did not fit into their society.

The life of the young Van Gogh was not easy. His parents were worried that other boys would be a bad influence on his behavior. Then, unfortunately, Pastor Theodore found out that Vincent's teacher was too fond of drinking, and then the parents decided that the child should be spared such influence. Until the age of eleven, the boy studied at home, and then his father decided that he needed to get a more serious education.

Further education: boarding school

Young Van Gogh, whose biography, interesting facts and personal life are of interest to a huge number of people today, is sent in 1864 to a boarding school in Zevenbergen. This is a small village, located about twenty-five kilometers from his home. But for Vincent, she was like the other end of the world. The boy was sitting in a wagon next to his parents, and the closer the walls of the boarding school approached, the heavier his heart became. Soon he will part with his family.

Vincent will yearn for his home all his life. Isolation from relatives left a deep imprint on his life. Van Gogh was a smart child and was drawn to knowledge. While studying at a boarding school, he showed great ability for languages, and this later came in handy in his life. Vincent spoke and wrote fluently in French, English, Dutch and German. This is how Van Gogh spent his childhood. A brief biography of a young age could not convey all those character traits that were laid down from childhood and later influenced the fate of the artist.

Education in Tilburg, or an incomprehensible story that happened to a boy

In 1866, the boy was thirteen years old, and elementary education came to an end. Vincent became a very serious young man, in whose eyes one could read boundless longing. He is sent even further away from home, to Tilburg. He begins his studies at a public boarding school. Here Vincent first got acquainted with city life.

Four hours a week were allotted for the study of art, which was a rarity in those days. This subject was taught by Mr. Heismans. He was a successful artist and ahead of his time. As models for the work of his students, he used figurines of people and stuffed animals. The teacher also encouraged in children the desire to paint landscapes and even took the children to nature.

Everything went well and Vincent passed his first year exams with ease. But over the next year, something went wrong. Van Gogh's attitude to study and work has changed dramatically. Therefore, in March 1868, he left school right in the middle of the school period and came home. What did Vincent van Gogh experience at the Tilburg school? A brief biography of this period, unfortunately, does not provide any information about this. And yet, these events left a deep imprint on the soul of the young man.

Choice of life path

There was a long pause in Vincent's life. At home, he spent fifteen long months, not daring to choose one way or another in life. When he turned sixteen, he wanted to find his calling so that he could devote his whole life to it. The days passed in vain, he needed to find a purpose. The parents understood that something needed to be done and turned to the father's brother, who lives in The Hague, for help. He ran an art trading firm and could have gotten Vincent to work with him. This idea turned out to be brilliant.

If the young man shows diligence, he will become the heir of his rich uncle, who did not have his own children. Vincent, tired of the leisurely life of his native places, is happy to go to The Hague, the administrative center of Holland. In the summer of 1869, Van Gogh, whose biography will now be directly related to art, begins his career.

Vincent became an employee at Goupil. His mentor lived in France and collected works by artists of the Barbizon school. At that time in this country they were fond of landscapes. Van Gogh's uncle dreamed of the appearance of such masters in Holland. He becomes the inspirer of the Hague School. Vincent had the opportunity to meet many artists.

Art is the main thing in life

Having become acquainted with the affairs of the firm, Van Gogh had to learn how to negotiate with clients. And while Vincent was a junior employee, he picked up the clothes of people who came to the gallery, served as a porter. The young man was inspired by the world of art around him. One of the artists of the Barbizon school was his canvas "The Gatherers" resonated in Vincent's soul. It became a kind of icon for the artist until the very end of his life. Millet depicted peasants at work in a special manner that was close to Van Gogh.

In 1870, Vincent met Anton Mauve, who eventually became his close friend. Van Gogh was a taciturn, reserved man, prone to depression. He sincerely sympathized with people who were less fortunate in life than he was. Vincent took his father's preaching very seriously. After a working day, he went to private theology classes.

Another passion of Van Gogh was books. He is fond of French history and poetry, and also becomes a fan of English writers. In March 1871, Vincent turns eighteen. By this time, he had already realized that art was a very important part of his life. His younger brother Theo was fifteen at the time, and he came to Vincent for the holidays. This trip left a deep impression on both of them.

They even made a promise that they would take care of each other for the rest of their lives, no matter what happened. From this period begins an active correspondence, which is conducted by Theo and Van Gogh. The artist's biography will subsequently be replenished with important facts precisely thanks to these letters. 670 letters of Vincent have survived to this day.

Trip to London. Important stage of life

Vincent spent four years in The Hague. It's time to move on. After saying goodbye to friends and colleagues, he prepared to leave for London. This stage of life will become very important for him. Vincent soon settled in the English capital. The Goupil branch was located in the heart of the business district. Chestnut trees with spreading branches grew in the streets. Van Gogh loved these trees and often mentioned it in his letters to his relatives.

A month later, his knowledge of English expanded. The masters of art intrigued him, he liked Gainsborough and Turner, but he remained true to the art he had come to love in The Hague. To save money, Vincent moves out of the apartment rented for him by the Goupil firm in the market district and rents a room in a new Victorian house.

He enjoyed living with Mrs. Ursula. The owner of the house was a widow. She and her nineteen-year-old daughter Eugenia rented rooms and taught, so that at least somehow. Over time, Vincent began to have very deep feelings for Eugenia, but did not give them away. He could write about this only to his relatives.

Severe psychological shock

Dickens was one of Vincent's idols. He was deeply affected by the death of the writer, and he expressed all his pain in a symbolic drawing made shortly after such a sad event. It was an image of an empty chair. who became very famous, painted a large number of such chairs. For him, it became a symbol of the departure of a person.

Vincent describes the first year in London as one of his happiest. He was in love with absolutely everything and still dreamed of Eugene. She won his heart. Van Gogh tried his best to please her, offering his help in various matters. After some time, Vincent nevertheless confessed his feelings to the girl and announced that they should get married. But Evgenia refused him, as she was already secretly engaged. Van Gogh was devastated. His dream of love was shattered.

He withdrew into himself, spoke little at work and at home. Was eating little. The realities of life dealt Vincent a heavy psychological blow. He begins to paint again, and this partly helps him find peace and distracts him from the heavy thoughts and shock that Van Gogh experienced. Paintings gradually heal the artist's soul. The mind was consumed by creativity. He went to another dimension, which is characteristic of many creative people.

A change of scenery. Paris and homecoming

Vincent became lonely again. He began to pay more attention to the street beggars and ragamuffins inhabiting the slums of London, and this only increased his depression. He wanted to change something. At work, he showed apathy, which began to seriously disturb his management.

It was decided to send him to the Paris branch of the firm, in order to change the situation and, perhaps, dispel the depression. But even there, Van Gogh could not recover from loneliness and already in 1877 returned home to work as a priest in the church, leaving his ambitions to become an artist.

A year later, Van Gogh receives a position as parish priest in a mining village. It was a thankless job. The life of the miners made a great impression on the artist. He decided to share their fate and even began to dress like them. Church officials were concerned about his behavior and two years later he was removed from office. But the time spent in the country had a beneficial effect. Life among the miners awakened in Vincent a special talent, and he began to paint again. He created a huge number of sketches of men and women carrying sacks of coal. Van Gogh finally decided for himself to become an artist. It was from this moment that a new period began in his life.

Regular bouts of depression and returning home

The artist Van Gogh, whose biography repeatedly mentions that his parents refused to supply him with money due to instability in his career, was a beggar. He was helped by his younger brother Theo, who was selling paintings in Paris. Over the next five years Vincent perfected his technique. Equipped with his brother's money, he goes on a trip to the Netherlands. Makes sketches, paints in oils and watercolors.

Wanting to find his own pictorial style, in 1881 Van Gogh ended up in The Hague. Here he rents an apartment near the sea. This was the beginning of a long relationship between the artist and his environment. During periods of despair and depression, nature was part of Vincent's life. She was for him the personification of the struggle for existence. He had no money, he often went hungry. Parents, who did not approve of the artist's lifestyle, completely turned away from him.

Theo arrives in The Hague and convinces his brother to return home. At the age of thirty, a beggar and full of despair, Van Gogh arrives at his parents' house. There he sets up a small workshop for himself and begins to make sketches of local residents and buildings. During this period, his palette becomes muted. Van Gogh's paintings come out all in gray-brown tones. In winter, people have more time, and the artist uses them as his models.

It was at this time that sketches of the hands of farmers and people picking potatoes appeared in Vincent's work. - Van Gogh's first significant painting, which he painted in 1885, at the age of thirty-two. The most important detail of the work are the hands of people. Strong, accustomed to working in the field, harvesting. The talent of the artist finally broke out.

Impressionism and Van Gogh. Self-portrait photo

In 1886 Vincent comes to Paris. Financially, he also continues to depend on his brother. Here, in the capital of world art, Van Gogh is struck by a new trend - the Impressionists. A new artist is born. He creates a huge number of self-portraits, landscapes and sketches of everyday life. His palette is also changing, but the main changes have affected the technique of writing. Now he draws with broken lines, short strokes and dots.

The cold and gloomy winter of 1887 affected the artist's condition, and he again fell into depression. The time spent in Paris had a huge impact on Vincent, but he felt it was time to get back on the road. He went to the south of France, to the provinces. Here Vincent begins to write like a man possessed. His palette is full of bright colors. Sky blue, bright yellow and orange. As a result, canvases juicy in color appeared, thanks to which the artist became famous.

Van Gogh suffered bouts of severe hallucinations. He felt like he was going crazy. The disease increasingly affected his work. In 1888, Theo persuaded Gauguin, with whom Van Gogh was on very friendly terms, to go visit his brother. Paul lived with Vincent for two exhausting months. They often quarreled, and once Van Gogh even attacked Paul with a blade in his hand. Vincent soon self-mutilated by cutting off his own ear. He was sent to the hospital. It was one of the strongest bouts of insanity.

Soon, on July 29, 1890, Vincent van Gogh died by suicide. He lived a life of poverty, obscurity and isolation, and remained an unrecognized artist. But now he is revered all over the world. Vincent became a legend, and his work influenced subsequent generations of artists.

One of the brightest artists of the 19th century, whose name is known to all art lovers, is Vincent Willem van Gogh (03/30/1853 - 07/29/1890). His popularity, according to sociologists, is comparable to that of Pablo Picasso. Although the facets of their work are still different. The genius of the Great Leonardo covers many branches of knowledge, Picasso was known not only as a painter, but also as a talented sculptor, graphic artist, and designer. Van Gogh devoted himself entirely to painting. The most famous paintings by Van Gogh with the names that can be found on our website, he wrote in just ten years of his creative activity.

The post-impressionist artist from the Netherlands, who never managed to get a special education, lived for 37 years. He created a lot of paintings, some of them after his death were recognized as real masterpieces and included in the list of the most expensive paintings in the world.

It cannot be said about Van Gogh that, until he seriously took up painting, he was far from the world of art. After leaving school, young Vincent worked for the art company Goupil & Co., co-owned by his uncle, selling paintings. For seven years, Van Gogh was a successful art dealer and often visited the Hague Museum. In 1872, he began to actively correspond with his younger brother Theo. In 1873 he was promoted and transferred to London, where his career was ruined by unrequited love. After a bitter disappointment, Van Gogh leaves for Belgium, in the mining village of Borinage, to serve as a preacher there, and then follow in the footsteps of his father and enter the Gospel school. However, when he returns, he finds out that tuition fees have already begun to be charged and indignantly refuses this opportunity. That's when Van Gogh started painting. For a whole year he attended classes at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and then decided to return to his parents, as he believed that he could study on his own.

The nature of the artist was not easy. His temper, constant overwork and alcohol abuse, mental upheavals influenced the emergence of epileptic psychosis in the last years of his life, to which he had a predisposition. The story with the cut off earlobe has several options. But it is she who is considered a clear sign of mental illness, which further contributed to the deterioration of Van Gogh's mental health, which led him to suicide.

Van Gogh worked with rapture. It was a real workaholic. In two hours, he could paint a picture that would have taken other artists much longer. Disputes around his name still do not subside, and the legend of poverty and madness, which was created by the German gallery owner and art historian Julius Meyer-Grefe, is perceived by many as a real historical fact.

In fact, Van Gogh was an educated man and read a lot. He graduated from a prestigious gymnasium and was fluent in three foreign languages. For erudition and developed thinking in the society of artists, he was even called Spinoza.

Of course, Van Gogh's throwing did not please the family, but he was never left without financial support. The artist's grandfather was a well-known binder of old documents and manuscripts, he carried out orders for several European courts. His uncles were famous and wealthy people. Three of them were involved in the sale of paintings and other arts, and one was an admiral who headed the port in Antwerp. Young Vincent lived in his house when he studied in the painting class at the Academy of Arts during the day, and attended a private school in the evenings. In fact, the artist was a rather pragmatic person, quite realistically assessed his capabilities and devoted himself entirely to work. He learned to draw from the latest textbooks sent to him by his uncles, real connoisseurs of art.

In 1886, Van Gogh, on the recommendation of his younger brother Theo, leaves for Paris. It was Theo, who successfully traded art, who advised the artist to take up joyful and bright painting. He introduces him to critics, artists such as Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Auguste Renoir and others. An agreement was concluded between the brothers that in exchange for the paintings of Vincent, Theo undertakes to pay him 220 francs a month and also provides him with the best canvases, paints and brushes. In addition, the younger brother took on all the expenses associated with the treatment of Vincent, and bought him books, clothes, necessary reproductions. In this regard, the artist never needed money, he even collected Japanese prints.

Van Gogh was a regular member of the most prestigious art exhibitions, his paintings were shown by fashionable and successful art dealers at the so-called "home exhibitions". Vincent's sudden suicide interrupted the methodically calculated "trail of fame" that he had already set foot on by that time. The younger brother, in whose arms the great artist was dying, could not survive him and died six months later. From their friendly joint work, a lot of paintings remained, real masterpieces that were appreciated in the twentieth century.

The paintings painted by the artist, some time after his death, were recognized as truly ingenious and priceless. Among the many canvases he painted, there are the most famous, whose names are familiar even to those who are generally far from art. His paintings are characterized by some features, namely:

• dynamic thick strokes;
• bright, in some cases almost "open" colors;
• bold, experimental color combinations.

"Potato Eaters"

Vincent van Gogh painted his first serious painting in 1885. It was not created "in one breath", it was preceded by hard preliminary work. The artist completed 12 sketches for the canvas, which he later destroyed.

The painting depicts the de Groote peasant family, who, after a hard day's work, gathered at the table to have dinner by the light of a kerosene lamp. There is only one dish on the table - baked potatoes, and cups of barley coffee. The tired faces of the peasants, their large, hardened hands. The color palette of this work is very sparse, but unusually accurately conveys the atmosphere of peasant life.

Some researchers of the artist's work argued that this picture is an undisguised satire on people who are not even aware of their ignorance. But in his letters, Van Gogh spoke with great respect about this family, their honesty and simple moral principles. He wanted to show steam from hot potatoes and tired peasants busy eating in the picture, and also to evoke a feeling of compassion in the viewer.

"Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear and Pipe"

In January 1889, the artist created this painting with a very strange backstory. It is still impossible to say with certainty whether Van Gogh himself cut off his earlobe or whether it was an accident that occurred during his quarrel with another famous artist, Paul Gauguin. Tired and thoughtful, with a pipe in his mouth, Vincent wrote his work, which has become truly his hallmark.

"Starlight Night"

The artist painted this picture in 1889, while being treated in a psychiatric hospital in the small town of Saint-Remy, in French Provence, on the Cote d'Azur. The painting depicts the starry sky, which is the most important thing in the artist's plan. It shows the possibilities of human mental activity, which contribute to a deep understanding of the nature of things, the interweaving of cosmic secrets and earthly cypresses growing on a hill. The painter vividly demonstrates in the foreground the incomprehensible harmony of the Universe, its mysteries and mysteries. And somewhere in the shade of twilight he placed city houses and mountains. He subsequently confessed to his brother that the stars are very close to him, he can look at them for a very long time and indulge in dreams.

"Irises"

The painting is considered one of the last paintings of the great artist. Despite the fact that the disease continued to develop, he still worked. In this picture, he departs from his usual technique and fills it with extraordinary lightness and weightlessness. The color scale chosen by him allows absolutely without tension, with a feeling of relaxation and even peace, to indefinitely look at images of irises growing in the field. Here, the influence of Japanese art, which the artist liked so much, and French impressionism is obvious. Such a difficult combination of two different trends in art provided the painter with the complete success of this picture.

"Sunflowers"

Paintings with a variety of sunflowers are very famous among Van Gogh lovers and art connoisseurs. Initially, in Paris, the artist begins to work on images of cut flowers, and later, in Arles, he paints bouquets in vases. As it became known, he just wanted to decorate the walls of the house for the arrival of his friend, Paul Gauguin. Gauguin liked the paintings so much that he even bought two of them for himself.

Even a little acquaintance with the work of this brilliant artist, who created more than one masterpiece in a very short time, can serve as a powerful incentive for Van Gogh's paintings with titles to become much clearer. And such a short life of a hardworking master was appreciated by fans of his work.

When 37-year-old Vincent van Gogh died on July 29, 1890, his work was almost unknown to anyone. Today, his paintings are worth stunning sums and adorn the best museums in the world.

125 years after the death of the great Dutch painter, it is time to learn more about him and dispel some of the myths that, like all art history, his biography is full of.

He changed several jobs before becoming an artist

The son of a minister, Van Gogh started working at the age of 16. His uncle hired him as an intern for an art dealership in The Hague. He happened to travel to London and Paris, where the firm's branches were located. In 1876 he was fired. After that, he worked briefly as a schoolteacher in England, then as a bookstore clerk. From 1878 he served as a preacher in Belgium. Van Gogh was in need, he had to sleep on the floor, but less than a year later he was fired from this post. Only after that he finally became an artist and did not change his occupation anymore. In this field, he became famous, however, posthumously.

Van Gogh's career as an artist was short

In 1881, the self-taught Dutch artist returned to the Netherlands, where he devoted himself to painting. He was supported financially and materially by his younger brother Theodore, a successful art dealer. In 1886, the brothers settled in Paris, and these two years in the French capital turned out to be crucial. Van Gogh took part in exhibitions of the Impressionists and Neo-Impressionists, he began to use a light and bright palette, experimenting with methods of applying strokes. The artist spent the last two years of his life in the south of France, where he created some of his most famous paintings.

In his entire ten-year career, he sold only a few of over 850 paintings. His drawings (there are about 1300 of them left) were then unclaimed.

He probably didn't cut off his ear.

In February 1888, after living in Paris for two years, Van Gogh moved to the south of France, to the city of Arles, where he hoped to establish a community of artists. He was accompanied by Paul Gauguin, with whom they became friends in Paris. The officially accepted version of events is as follows:

On the night of December 23, 1888, they quarreled, and Gauguin left. Van Gogh, armed with a razor, pursued his friend, but, not catching up, returned home and, in annoyance, partially cut off his left ear, then wrapped it in a newspaper and gave it to some prostitute.

In 2009, two German scientists published a book suggesting that Gauguin, being a good swordsman, cut off part of Van Gogh's ear with a saber during a duel. According to this theory, Van Gogh, in the name of friendship, agreed to hide the truth, otherwise Gauguin would have been threatened with prison.

The most famous paintings were painted by him in a psychiatric clinic

In May 1889, Van Gogh sought help from the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole psychiatric hospital, located in a former convent in the city of Saint-Remy-de-Provence in southern France. Initially, the artist was diagnosed with epilepsy, but the examination also revealed bipolar disorder, alcoholism and metabolic disorders. Treatment consisted mainly of baths. He remained in the hospital for a year and painted a number of landscapes there. Over a hundred paintings from this period include some of his most famous works such as Starry Night (purchased by the New York Museum of Modern Art in 1941) and Irises (purchased by an Australian industrialist in 1987 for a then record-breaking $ 53.9 million)