Vincent van Gogh - The incarnation of the suffering

On this day, March 30th, Vincent van Gogh would have turned 170 years old. As we celebrate his life and legacy, it’s important to acknowledge the difficulties he faced throughout his journey. Vincent’s life was marked by personal struggles and setbacks, from his early struggles with poverty and homelessness to his later battles with mental illness.

Despite these challenges, Vincent remained committed to his passion for art, dedicating himself entirely to painting and producing some of the most iconic works of the post-impressionist era. Today, his work continues to inspire and captivate people around the world, serving as a testament to the power of creativity and the enduring human spirit.

So, on this special day, let us remember Vincent van Gogh, his life, his art, and the incredible impact that he has had on the world.

Self-portrait as an Artist, Paris, 1888, van Gogh — *Self-portrait as an Artist*, Paris, 1888. Oil on canvas, 65 x 50.5 cm. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

Vincent Willem van Gogh was born on 30 March 1853 in Groot-Zundert, Holland. He grew up in his home village near the Belgian border, where he attended school until 1869. With his uncle, who was an art dealer in The Hague, Vincent made his start in professional life and his first experiences with the painting of contemporary artists. When he travelled to London on his uncle’s behalf in 1873, he fell unhappily in love with the daughter of his landlady. The successor in his uncle’s business dismissed van Gogh unexpectedly, even before his return.

Vincent van Gogh initially remained in London and took a job as an assistant teacher. His low income forced him to live in the poor district of the city. Van Gogh suffered from the rough life on the streets and was in danger of breaking down. In December 1876, he travelled back to his parents and decided to study theology. After a year of study, however, he realised his completely different view of religion and of God. He abandoned his studies and moved to Borinage in Belgium to become an itinerant preacher. The overzealousness he showed was noble, but he destroyed himself. His self-sacrifice went so far that he gave away not only his clothes but also his food to what he considered poorer people. In 1878 he returned to his parents and decided from then on to devote himself solely to painting. Van Gogh’s first important works were created during this period. In 1881, after a dispute with his parents, van Gogh left the parental home for three years, completely penniless.

His brother Theo in The Hague took care of him. After reconciling with his parents, he began to paint peasant portraits in 1884, with modest success. In 1885, his father died unexpectedly and Vincent van Gogh left Holland to work in Paris, inspired by the French art scene. During further studies, he met artists such as Paul Gauguin. Here, too, his works were hard to sell. Vincent van Gogh became irascible and began to drink. In 1888 he left Paris and travelled to the south of France to settle in Arles. His wish was to found an artists’ colony here together with Paul Gauguin. After only a few weeks, however, the two got into such heated arguments that van Gogh, armed with a knife, attacked his friend. He then cut off his own right ear and they separated. In 1889, he voluntarily admitted himself to a mental hospital in St Rémy because he suffered from hallucinations and feared losing his mind. During one year at St Rémy, the Dutchman produced about 160 oil paintings and drawings.

Avenue of Poplars in Autumn, Nuenen, October 1884, van Gogh — *Avenue of Poplars in Autumn*, Nuenen, October 1884. Oil on canvas on wood, 98.5 x 66 cm. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

In 1890 he accepted an invitation from his friend Camille Pissarro to come to Auvers-sur-Oise, northwest of Paris. The little time he had left was one of his most intensive creative periods. He went for treatment here too, but his mental state hardly improved. During an extended walk near Auvers, van Gogh suffered a life-threatening injury with a pistol. Although he reached his home under his own steam, he died two days later, on 29 July 1890, of blood poisoning.

Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Dutch post-impressionist painter who was born on 30 March 1853 in Groot-Zundert, Holland. He grew up in his hometown near the Belgian border and attended school until 1869. Van Gogh’s early exposure to the art world came through his uncle, who was an art dealer in The Hague, where he gained experience with contemporary artists.

In 1873, he travelled to London on behalf of his uncle’s business and fell in love with the daughter of his landlady. However, his low income as an assistant teacher in the city’s poor district caused him to suffer from the rough life on the streets, which put him in danger of breaking down. Despite his struggles, Vincent continued to pursue his passion for art and devoted himself solely to painting after abandoning his theological studies.

Vincent’s initial paintings were created during the period of his stay with his parents, and it was during this time that he began to paint peasant portraits with modest success. After his father’s unexpected death in 1885, Vincent left Holland and went to work in Paris, where he became friends with artists such as Paul Gauguin. However, his works were still difficult to sell, and his irascible behaviour and drinking habits caused problems for him.

In 1888, he left Paris and settled in Arles in the south of France, where he intended to found an artists’ colony with Gauguin. However, their relationship soured, and van Gogh infamously cut off his own ear with a knife. He voluntarily admitted himself to a mental hospital in St Rémy in 1889 due to his hallucinations and fear of losing his mind. During his year at the hospital, Vincent produced about 160 oil paintings and drawings.

In 1890, he went to Auvers-sur-Oise, northwest of Paris, after receiving an invitation from his friend Camille Pissarro. This period was one of Vincent’s most intense creative periods, but his mental state hardly improved despite seeking treatment. During an extended walk near Auvers, he suffered a life-threatening injury with a pistol and died two days later on 29 July 1890, of blood poisoning.

Woman (“Sien”) Seated near the Stove, The Hague, March-April 1882, van Gogh — *Woman (“Sien”) Seated near the Stove*, The Hague, March-April 1882. Pencil, pen and brush in black ink (faded to brown in parts) and white opaque watercolour on laid paper (two sheets), 50 x 61 cm. Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo.

In summary, van Gogh’s life was marked by personal struggles and setbacks, but his artistic legacy continues to inspire people around the world. Despite his untimely death at the age of 37, his work has had a lasting impact on the art world, with many considering him one of the most important figures in Western art history.

Some of his featured artworks: