The life of Vincent van Gogh. Van Gogh short biography

(Vincent Willem Van Gogh) was born March 30, 1853 in the village of Groot-Zundert in the province of North Brabant in the south of the Netherlands in the family of a Protestant pastor.

In 1868, Van Gogh left school, after which he went to work in a branch of a large Parisian art company, Goupil & Cie. Successfully worked in the gallery, first in The Hague, then in offices in London and Paris.

By 1876, Vincent finally lost interest in the painting trade and decided to follow in his father's footsteps. In the UK, he found work as a teacher at a boarding school in a small town outside London, where he also served as an assistant pastor. On October 29, 1876, he gave his first sermon. In 1877 he moved to Amsterdam, where he studied theology at the university.

Van Gogh "Poppies"

In 1879, Van Gogh obtained a position as lay preacher at Vama, a mining center in the Borinage, in southern Belgium. He then continued his preaching mission in the nearby village of Kem.

In the same period, Van Gogh had a desire to paint.

In 1880, in Brussels, he entered the Royal Academy of Arts (Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles). However, due to his unbalanced nature, he soon dropped out of the course and continued his art education on his own, using reproductions.

In 1881, in Holland, under the guidance of his relative, the landscape painter Anton Mauve, Van Gogh created his first paintings: "Still Life with Cabbage and Wooden Shoes" and "Still Life with a Beer Glass and Fruit".

In the Dutch period, starting with the painting "Potato Harvesting" (1883), the main motif of the artist's canvases was the theme of ordinary people and their work, the emphasis was on the expressiveness of scenes and figures, dark, gloomy colors and shades, sharp changes in light and shadow prevailed in the palette. . The masterpiece of this period is the canvas "Potato Eaters" (April-May 1885).

In 1885 Van Gogh continued his studies in Belgium. In Antwerp, he entered the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (The Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp). In 1886, Vincent moved to Paris to live with his younger brother Theo, who had by then taken over as the leading manager of the Goupil gallery in Montmartre. Here, Van Gogh took lessons from the French realist painter Fernand Cormon for about four months, met the Impressionists Camille Pizarro, Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin, from whom he adopted their style of painting.

© Public Domain "Portrait of Doctor Gachet" by Van Gogh

© Public Domain

In Paris, Van Gogh developed an interest in creating images of human faces. Having no funds to pay for the work of models, he turned to self-portraiture, creating about 20 paintings in this genre in two years.

The Parisian period (1886-1888) became one of the artist's most productive creative periods.

In February 1888, Van Gogh went to the south of France to Arles, where he dreamed of creating a creative community of artists.

In December, Vincent's mental health took a turn for the worse. During one of the uncontrollable outbursts of aggression, he threatened with an open razor Paul Gauguin, who came to him in the open air, and then cut off a piece of his earlobe, sending it as a gift to one of the women he knew. After this incident, Van Gogh was placed first in a psychiatric hospital in Arles, and then voluntarily went to the specialized clinic of St. Paul of Mausoleum near Saint-Remy-de-Provence for treatment. The head physician of the hospital, Theophile Peyron, diagnosed his patient with "acute manic disorder." However, the artist was given a certain freedom: he could paint outdoors under the supervision of staff.

In Saint-Remy, Vincent alternated periods of intense activity and long breaks caused by deep depression. In just a year of being in the clinic, Van Gogh painted about 150 paintings. Some of the most outstanding canvases of this period were: "Starry Night", "Irises", "Road with Cypresses and a Star", "Olives, Blue Sky and White Cloud", "Pieta".

In September 1889, with the active assistance of Brother Theo, Van Gogh's paintings took part in the Salon des Indépendants, an exhibition of modern art organized by the Society of Independent Artists in Paris.

In January 1890, Van Gogh's paintings were exhibited at the eighth exhibition of the Group of Twenty in Brussels, where they were enthusiastically received by critics.

In May 1890, Van Gogh's mental state improved, he left the hospital and settled in the town of Auvers-sur-Oise (Auvers-sur-Oise) in the suburbs of Paris under the supervision of Dr. Paul Gachet.

Vincent actively took up painting, almost every day he finished a painting. During this period, he painted several outstanding portraits of Dr. Gachet and 13-year-old Adeline Rava, the daughter of the owner of the hotel in which he lodged.

On July 27, 1890, Van Gogh left the house at the usual time and went to paint. On his return, after persistent questioning by the Ravos, he confessed that he had shot himself with a pistol. All attempts by Dr. Gachet to save the wounded were in vain, Vincent fell into a coma and died on the night of July 29 at the age of thirty-seven. He was buried in the Auvers cemetery.

American biographers of the artist Stephen Naifeh and Gregory White Smith in their study "Van Gogh's Life" (Van Gogh: The Life) of Vincent's death, according to which he died not from his own bullet, but from an accidental shot by two drunken young people.

During the ten-year creative activity, Van Gogh managed to write 864 paintings and almost 1200 drawings and engravings. During his lifetime, only one painting by the artist was sold - the landscape "Red Vineyards in Arles". The cost of the painting was 400 francs.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

The biography of Vincent van Gogh is a vivid example of how a talented person was not recognized during his lifetime. He was only appreciated after his death. This talented post-impressionist artist was born on March 30, 1853 in the Netherlands in a small village, which was located near the border with Belgium. In addition to Vincent, his parents had six children, of which the younger brother Theo can be distinguished. He had a great influence on the fate of the famous artist.

Childhood and early years

As a child, Van Gogh was a difficult and "tedious" child. This is how his family described him. With outsiders, he was quiet, thoughtful, friendly and affable. At the age of seven, the boy was sent to a local village school, where he studied for only a year, then he was transferred to home schooling. After some time, he was sent to a boarding school, where he felt miserable. This greatly affected him. Then the future artist was transferred to college, where he studied foreign languages ​​and drawing.

Attempt at writing. The beginning of an artist's career

At the age of 16, Vincent got a job in a branch of a large company that sold paintings. His uncle owned this company. The future artist worked very well, so he was transferred to . There he learned to understand painting and appreciate it. Vincent attended exhibitions and art galleries. Because of unhappy love, he began to work poorly and was transferred from one office to another. Around the age of 22, Vincent began to try his hand at painting. He was inspired to do this by exhibitions at the Louvre and the Salon (Paris). Because of his new hobby, the artist began to work very poorly and he was fired. He then worked as a teacher and assistant pastor. The choice of the latter profession was influenced by his father, who also chose to serve God.

Acquisition of skill and fame

At the age of 27, the artist, with the support of his brother Theo, moved to, where he entered the Academy of Arts. But, a year later, he decided to quit his studies, because he believed that diligence, not study, would help him become an artist. He painted his first known paintings in The Hague. There, for the first time, he mixed several techniques at once in one work:

• watercolor;
• feather;
• sepia.

Vivid examples of such paintings are “Backyards” and “Roofs. View from van Gogh's studio. Then he had another unsuccessful attempt to start a family. Because of this, Vincent leaves the city and settles in a separate hut, where he paints landscapes and working peasants. During that period, he painted such famous paintings as "Peasant Woman" and "Peasant and Peasant Woman Planting Potatoes."

Interestingly, Van Gogh was not able to draw human figures correctly and smoothly, so in his paintings they have somewhat straight and angular lines. After a while, he moved in with Theo. There he again took up the study of painting in a local famous studio. Then he began to gain fame and participate in exhibitions of the Impressionists.

Death of Van Gogh

The great artist died on July 29, 1890 from blood loss. The day before that day, he had been injured. Vincent shot himself in the chest with a revolver he took with him to scare away birds. There is, however, another version of his death. Some historians believe that he was shot at by teenagers with whom he sometimes drank in bars.

Van Gogh paintings

The list of Van Gogh's most famous works includes the following paintings: "Starry Night"; "Sunflowers"; "Irises"; "Wheat field with crows"; "Portrait of Doctor Gachet".

• There are several facts in Van Gogh's biography that historians are still arguing about. So, for example, it is believed that during his lifetime only one of his paintings “Red Vineyards in Arles” was bought. But, despite this, it is absolutely undeniable that Van Gogh left behind a great legacy and made an invaluable contribution to art. In the 19th century, he was not appreciated, and in the 20th and 21st centuries, Vincent's paintings are sold for millions of dollars.

Everyone knows the Dutch painter. The difficult fate was reflected in his paintings, which became famous only after the death of the artist. He created over 200 paintings and over 500 drawings, carefully preserved by his brother, and later his wife and nephew, and devoted to the museum. Van Gogh lived a short life, but in his life there were many interesting stories that are passed down from generation to generation.

ear story

The most interesting story that excites the minds of contemporaries is about severed ear. But it is reliably known that the artist cut off only his earlobe. What prompted him to do this? And how did it really happen? The most reliable version is that during a quarrel with the French painter Gauguin, Van Gogh attacked him with a razor. But Gauguin turned out to be more dodgy and managed to stop him.


The quarrel was over a woman, and a worried Van Gogh cut off his own earlobe that very night. The cut off earlobe was presented by the artist to this woman – she was a prostitute. This event occurred at the moment of insanity from the frequent use of absinthe - a tincture of bitter wormwood, with a large use of which hallucinations, aggressiveness, and a change in consciousness occur.

Two births of Van Gogh

The Dutch pastor had his first child in 1852, named Vincent, but he died a few weeks later. And a year later, on the day of March 30, 1953, a boy is born again, whom they also decide to call Vincent van Gogh.

Understanding life

Working in different places and constantly watching the hard lot of the poor, the son of a Protestant pastor decided to also become a priest and celebrate masses in favor of the poor. He helped the poor, cared for the sick, taught children, painted at night to earn money. The artist decided to write a petition for better working conditions for the poor, but he was refused. He realized that sermons play no role in the fight against the hard lot of the poor. The young priest leaves home, distributes all his savings to those in need, and as a result, he is deprived of the priesthood. All this was reflected in the mental state of the artist and later decided the whole fate of Van Gogh.

Van Gogh's inspiration

Van Gogh was inspired by a French artist millet, who in his paintings depicted the hard lot of the poor, their work and plight in society. Van Gogh painted from Millet's black and white drawings, conveying his gaze into them. The difference is that Van Gogh's paintings are bright, expressive, in contrast to the melancholic works of Millet. Van Gogh imagined the life of the poor, as they saw themselves, their attitude to work - this is what ensures their life, as a reverence for the hard lot that contributes to their existence. Their faces express gratitude to the land that gave the harvest. Gratitude to the harvest that now lies on their table.

Extraordinary vision of color

Van Gogh was able to mix colors on his canvases as no one else had done before him. He mixed warm colors with cold ones, primary colors with complementary ones, and achieved amazing effects. The main color of his paintings is yellow. Yellow field, yellow sun, yellow hat, yellow flowers. Yellow color expresses energy, uplift, creative inspiration. Surrounding himself with yellow, he tried to escape from life's troubles, paint life in bright colors. It is claimed that by drinking absinthe, a person sees the world as through a yellow prism. Perhaps that is why its yellow color is even brighter than ordinary yellow.
Yellow was combined with blue, purple, blue-black. A strange combination - combinations of madness.

Sunflowers in Van Gogh's painting

The artist created 10 paintings with sunflowers. They are in a vase: three, twelve, five, cut sunflowers, sunflowers with roses. 10 canvases have been proven to be authentically belonging to the painter, another canvas has not been confirmed, they believe that this is a copy. It is known from letters to his brother that Van Gogh loved sunflowers and considered them his flowers. The yellow sunflower represents friendship and hope. He wanted to decorate the “yellow house” inside with them. Because there were very white walls, in which he complained to his brother Theo.

friendship with brother

Van Gogh had five brothers and sisters, but he kept in touch and was friends only with his brother Theo. They corresponded and exchanged information. More than 900 letters from the artist have been found, and most of them are addressed to his brother. Theo helped him with money. At the time of a serious condition, he determined him to the clinic. He was with him in the last days of his life.

Attitude towards family life

Having experienced disappointments in love, Van Gogh decides for himself that the artist should devote himself to painting. And that's why he uses random connections.

"Starlight Night"

In a state of severe depression, the artist went to a psychiatric clinic, where a room was assigned to him. And there he painted his paintings. There he created one of the most recognizable paintings " Starlight Night". Characterizing the color scheme and the quality of the strokes, it is confirmed that the picture was painted by a person experiencing loneliness, vulnerable, with mood swings to the depressive. He painted the picture from memory, which is rare for his manner, and confirms his serious condition.

Painter's disease

Numerous scientific studies have failed to provide a medical opinion on Van Gogh's disease. It was claimed that he was ill with epilepsy, or schizophrenia, but there is no medical confirmation of this. His aunt had epilepsy and his sister had schizophrenia. More and more confirmation finds the answer in the constant depression of the artist. He was oppressed by the hard work of the miners, he was worried about the hard lot of the plowmen, and that he could not help them in any way.

Van Gogh's suicide

Van Gogh committed suicide by shooting himself in the heart with a revolver. The bullet missed the heart, and he came home and went to bed. He lived for two more days and died at the age of 37, without waiting for the recognition of his work. During the funeral, only a few people walked behind the coffin.

The future artist was born in a small Dutch village called Grot Zundert. This joyful event in the family of the Protestant priest Theodor van Gogh and his wife Anna Cornelius van Gogh happened on March 30, 1853. There were only six children in the pastor's family. Vincent is the oldest. Relatives considered him a difficult and strange child, while neighbors noted in him modesty, compassion and friendliness in relations with people. Subsequently, he repeatedly said that his childhood was cold and gloomy.

At the age of seven, Van Gogh was assigned to a local school. Exactly one year later, he returned home. Having received his primary education at home, in 1864 he went to Zevenbergen to a private boarding school. He studied there for a short time - only two years, and moved to another boarding school - in Tilburg. He was noted for his ability to learn languages ​​and draw. It is noteworthy that in 1868 he suddenly dropped out of school and went back to the village. This was the end of his education.

Youth

It has long been customary that the men in the Van Gogh family were engaged in only two types of activities: the sale of art canvases and parochial activities. Young Vincent could not help but try himself in both. He achieved some success both as a pastor and as an art dealer, but the passion for drawing took its toll.

At the age of 15, Vincent's family helped him get a job at the Hague branch of the art company Goupil & Co. His career growth was not long in coming: for his diligence and success in his work, he was transferred to the British branch. In London, he turned from a simple country boy, a lover of painting, into a successful businessman, a professional who understands the engravings of English masters. It has a metropolitan look. Not far off and moving to Paris, and work in the central office of the Goupil company. However, something unexpected and incomprehensible happened: he fell into a state of "painful loneliness" and refused to do anything. Soon he was fired.

Religion

In search of his destiny, he went to Amsterdam and intensively prepared to enter the theological faculty. But he soon realized that he did not belong here, dropped out and entered a missionary school. After graduating in 1879, he was offered to preach the Law of God in one of the cities in southern Belgium. He agreed. During this period, he paints a lot, mostly portraits of ordinary people.

Creation

After the disappointments that befell Van Gogh in Belgium, he again fell into depression. Brother Theo came to the rescue. He gave him moral support and helped him enter the Academy of Fine Arts. There he studied for a short time and returned to his parents, where he continued to independently study various techniques. In the same period, he experienced several unsuccessful novels.

The most fruitful time in the work of Van Gogh is the Parisian period (1886-1888). He met with prominent representatives of impressionism and post-impressionism: Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Renoir, Paul Gauguin. He constantly searched for his own style and at the same time studied various techniques of modern painting. Imperceptibly brightened and his palette. From light to a real riot of colors, characteristic of his paintings of recent years, there is very little left.

Other biography options

• After returning to the psychiatric clinic, Vincent, as usual, went to draw from nature in the morning. But he returned not with sketches, but with a bullet fired by himself from a pistol. It remains unclear how a serious wound allowed him to reach the shelter on his own and live for another two days. He died on July 29, 1890.
• In a brief biography of Vincent van Gogh, it is impossible not to mention one name - Theo van Gogh, the younger brother, who helped and supported his elder brother all his life. He could not forgive himself for the last quarrel and the subsequent suicide of the famous artist. He died exactly one year after Van Gogh's death from nervous exhaustion.
• Van Gogh cut off his ear after a violent quarrel with Gauguin. The latter thought that they were going to attack him, and fled in fear.

Vincent van Gogh is a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who had a huge impact on 20th century painting. Today, his work is valued at hundreds of millions of dollars.

During his life, he never received recognition in society, and became known only after committing suicide at the age of 37.

Less than 2 years later, Vincent van Gogh decided to quit school and move back home. He himself called his childhood "gloomy, cold and empty", which, undoubtedly, was reflected in his subsequent biography.

Creative biography

At the age of 15, Vincent begins to work in a solid art and trading company "Goupil & Cie", owned by his uncle.

In modern terms, he did the work of a dealer, in which he was successful. He was well versed in painting and often visited different galleries.

However, work in the company does not bring joy to Van Gogh. Having fallen into a deep depression, he writes several letters to his brother Theodorus, in which he talks about his loneliness and helplessness.

Some biographers believe that Vincent suffered from unrequited love, but there is no reliable information on this.

In the end, Van Gogh was fired from Goupil & Cie.

Missionary activity

In 1877, an important event occurs in the biography of Van Gogh: he decides to enter the university at the faculty of theology. To do this, he moves to Amsterdam to his uncle Johannes.

After he successfully passes his exams and becomes a university student, Vincent becomes disillusioned with his studies. Realizing his mistake, he gives up everything and begins to engage in missionary work.

Van Gogh at 18

Van Gogh lights up with a new idea: he preaches the Gospel to the poor, teaches children, and also teaches the Law of God in the Borinage, which was mainly inhabited by miners with their families.

To provide himself with the essentials, Vincent draws maps of Palestine at night. In general, it must be said that in the biography of Van Gogh there are many examples of almost painful dedication.

Gradually, the missionary gained respect among the people, as a result of which he was assigned a salary of 50 francs.

During this period of his biography, Vincent led a very modest lifestyle and repeatedly defended the rights of workers.

Soon he began to irritate the officials, so he was removed from his post as a preacher. This turn of affairs was a real blow to Van Gogh.

Becoming an artist Van Gogh

Being depressed, Vincent van Gogh begins to paint. For some time he even attended the Academy of Fine Arts, however, not seeing any benefit for himself, he left it.

After that, he continued to paint, relying only on his own experience.

During this period of biography, Van Gogh falls in love with his cousin, but she does not reciprocate. As a result, he leaves with a broken heart for The Hague, where he continues to paint.

One of Vincent van Gogh's most famous self-portraits, 1889

There, Van Gogh learns to draw from Anton Mauve, and in his free time he takes walks through the poor quarters of the city. In the future, the artist will be able to capture everything he sees in his masterpieces.

Watching the technique of different masters, Van Gogh begins to experiment with shades and styles of painting. However, he continues to be tormented by endless thoughts about starting a family.

Once he met a woman who had several children, and soon invited her to move into his house. Then he felt real happiness, which, however, did not last long.

The temper and heavy temper of the cohabitant made Van Gogh's life unbearable. As a result, he broke up with this woman and went north. His dwelling was a hut in which he lived and painted landscapes.

After some time, the artist returns home and continues to paint. On his canvases, he often depicts ordinary people and urban landscapes.

Parisian period

In 1886, there were big changes again in Van Gogh's biography: he decides to leave for. Then in this city there were many artists with a new vision of art. There he met his brother Theo, who was already the head of the gallery.

Van Gogh soon visited several exhibitions of the Impressionists, who sought to capture the world in its dynamics. During this period, Vincent is supported by his brother, who took care of him in every possible way and introduced him to various artists.

After receiving new sensations, there is a creative upsurge in the biography of Van Gogh. In Paris, he manages to paint about 230 paintings in which he experiments with technique and colors. As a result, his canvases become lighter and brighter.

While walking around Paris, Van Gogh meets the owner of a cafe - Agostina Segatori. Soon he paints a portrait of her.

Then Vincent begins to sell his work along with other little-known artists.

He often gets into arguments with colleagues, criticizing their work. Realizing that no one is interested in his work, he decides to leave Paris.

Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin

In February 1888, Vincent van Gogh moved to Provence, with whom he fell in love at first sight. He receives 250 francs a month from his brother, thanks to which he can rent a hotel room and eat well.

During this period of biography, Van Gogh often works on the street, depicting night landscapes on his canvases. It was in this way that his famous painting "Starry Night over the Rhone" was painted.

After some time, Van Gogh manages to meet Paul Gauguin, from whose work he was delighted. They even begin to live together, constantly talking about the great meaning.

However, misunderstandings soon appear in their relationship, which often end in quarrels.

Van Gogh cuts off his ear

On the evening of December 23, 1888, perhaps the most famous event takes place in the artist's biography: he cuts off his ear. Actions unfolded as follows.

Self-portrait with bandaged ear and pipe, Vincent van Gogh, 1889

After another quarrel with Paul Gauguin, Van Gogh attacked a friend with a razor in his hands. Gauguin accidentally managed to stop Vincent.

The whole truth about this quarrel and the circumstances of the attack is still unknown, but on the same night, Van Gogh cut off his earlobe, wrapped it in paper and sent it to the prostitute Rachel.

According to the generally accepted version, this was done in a fit of remorse, but some researchers believe that this was not remorse, but a manifestation of insanity caused by the frequent use of absinthe (a drink containing 70% alcohol).

The next day, December 24, Van Gogh was taken to the Saint-Remy psychiatric hospital, where the attack recurred with such force that the doctors placed him in the ward for violent patients.

Gauguin hurriedly left the city, not visiting Van Gogh in the hospital, but informing his brother Theo about what had happened.

Personal life

A number of Van Gogh biographers believe that the causes of Van Gogh's mental illness could be difficult relationships with women. He repeatedly made proposals to different girls, but he constantly received refusals.

There was a case when he promised to hold his palm over the flame of a candle until the girl agreed to become his wife.

With his act, he shocked the chosen one, and also angered her father, who, without hesitation, threw the artist out of the house.

Van Gogh's sexual dissatisfaction seriously affected his psyche and led to the fact that he began to like ugly mature prostitutes. With one of them, he began to live in his house, taking her along with her five-year-old daughter.

Having lived like this for about a year, Vincent van Gogh painted several paintings with his beloved. An interesting fact is that because of her, the artist was forced to be treated for gonorrhea.

However, then more and more quarrels began to occur between them, which, ultimately, led to parting.

After that, Van Gogh was a frequent guest of brothels, as a result of which he was treated for various sexually transmitted diseases.

Death

While in the hospital, Van Gogh could continue to paint his paintings. This is how the famous canvases “Starry Night” and “Road with Cypresses and a Star” appeared.

It is worth noting that the state of his health was very variable. Feeling good, he could suddenly become depressed. One day, during one of his seizures, Vincent ate his paints.

Theo still tried to support his brother. In 1890, he put up for sale his painting "Red Vineyards in Arles", which was subsequently bought for 400 francs.

When Vincent van Gogh found out about this, his joy knew no bounds. An interesting fact is that it was the only painting sold during the life of the artist.

Red Vineyards at Arles, Vincent van Gogh, 1888

In the next period of his biography, Van Gogh still continues to eat paint, so his brother arranges for his treatment at the clinic of Dr. Gachet. It is worth noting that good, and even friendly relations have developed between the patient and the doctor.

Literally a month later, the treatment gave its results, as a result of which Gachet allowed Vincent to go to visit his brother.

However, having met Theo, Van Gogh did not feel the attention due to his person, because at that time Theo had financial difficulties, and his daughter was seriously ill.

Offended and offended, the artist returns to the hospital.

July 27, 1890 Vincent van Gogh shot himself in the chest with a revolver, and as if nothing had happened, went to bed, lighting his pipe. It seemed that the wound did not give him any pain.

Gachet immediately informed his brother about the crossbow, and Theo immediately arrived. Wanting to reassure Vincent, Theo said that he would definitely get better, to which Van Gogh uttered the phrase: "Sadness will last forever."

Two days later, on July 29, 1890, Vincent van Gogh died at the age of 37. He was buried in the small town of Mary.

Interestingly, after six months, Van Gogh's brother, Theodorus, also passed away.

Photo by Van Gogh

At the end, you can see some photos of Van Gogh's portraits. All of them are made by him, that is, they are self-portraits.

Self-portrait with bandaged ear, Vincent van Gogh, 1889

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