November 25, 2024 by Sarah Pipino (‘26)
Almost everyone has heard the name Van Gogh, and they might know him for a multitude of reasons: his beautiful collection of sunflower paintings, his famous work “Starry Night,” or even how he supposedly chopped off his own ear. But how many people actually know Van Gogh’s story, or how his masterpieces were made? Well, if you’re one of those people, look no further than this article to learn more about this legendary artist.
Vincent Van Gogh was born in the Netherlands on March 30, 1853. Although throughout his childhood he enjoyed observing nature and drawing what he saw, his first career plan was to follow in his father’s footsteps by dedicating his life to practicing Christianity. However, when he gave away all his belongings to the poor while on a mission trip and was subsequently cast away from the church for interpreting the Bible too literally, he felt lost in life. This curse turned out to be a blessing, though, it was then when he was able to realize his true passion: art. Van Gogh decided that if he couldn’t help the world through his faith, he’d help through his artwork.
With his new purpose in mind, he began to paint— and he didn’t stop. Van Gogh began his journey with only sketching and watercolors but then eventually moved to oil paints with which he created most of the works that he’s best known for today.
His early pieces were centered on peasants and the challenges they faced. In this way, his work was a political statement. He illustrated the hardships these people endured and showed the depressing reality of life for them. He used darker colors and grim figures to reveal just how difficult their lives were.
Eventually, Van Gogh grew tired of city life and wanted a calmer, more peaceful environment for himself. He moved to Paris, and with the change in lifestyle came a drastic change in his art. He shifted to employ a more diverse color palette, paint more positive subject matter, and experiment with different techniques. In many of his later paintings he showed off many impressive pieces using pointillism.
Despite his undeniable talent and seemingly tranquil life, Van Gogh was actually quite ill. He had to be hospitalized multiple times for periods of “insanity” where he would alternate between extreme happiness and extreme depression at the drop of a hat. He is even said to have cut off part of his own ear while fighting with someone, although some say that it was actually the other person who chopped it off. Whatever the case, Van Gogh’s life came to a sad end when he committed suicide after only 10 years of being a painter.
Van Gogh is known for being the epitome of the “tortured artist.” In actuality, he was a man who was sick but still cared for others; a man who, despite his internal war, hoped to help humanity with his artwork and pledged his life to that goal. There’s no way of knowing what else he could have accomplished if he hadn’t died prematurely, but what we can do now is honor his memory and appreciate everything he contributed to the world. Not just as an artist, but as a person.