Vincent Willem van Gogh
- Born:
- 30 March 1853, Groot Zundert, North Brabant, Netherlands
- Died:
- 29 July 1890, Auvers-sur-Oise, France
- Nationality:
- Dutch
- Profession(s):
- Post-Impressionist Painter
Early Life and Education
- Born to Theodorus van Gogh, a pastor, and Anna Cornelia Carbentus.
- Had several siblings, including Theo van Gogh, who became his art dealer and confidant.
- Received early schooling in a village school and later as a boarder in Zevenbergen and Tilburg.
- Briefly worked for the art dealer Goupil & Cie in The Hague, London, and Paris.
- Explored theological studies and briefly worked as a missionary in the Borinage region of Belgium.
Career and Major Achievements
- Began painting seriously in the early 1880s, initially focusing on depictions of peasant life.
- Moved to Paris in 1886, where he encountered Impressionism and Post-Impressionism.
- Developed his signature style characterized by bold colors, swirling brushstrokes, and emotional intensity.
- Briefly lived and worked with Paul Gauguin in Arles, France, a period marked by creative intensity and eventual breakdown.
- Voluntarily admitted himself to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy.
- Produced a vast body of work in a short period, including over 860 paintings.
Notable Works
- The Potato Eaters (1885)
- Sunflowers series (1887-1889)
- The Starry Night (1889)
- Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (1889)
- Wheatfield with Crows (1890)
Legacy and Impact
Vincent van Gogh is considered one of the most influential figures in the history of Western art. Despite achieving little commercial success during his lifetime, his paintings are now among the most recognizable and highly valued in the world. His innovative use of color and expressive brushstrokes profoundly influenced 20th-century art movements such as Fauvism and Expressionism. Resources like Vincent van Gogh biography facts worksheets are valuable tools for learning about his life and artistic contributions.