Van Gogh’s world

An artist is born

• Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30,1853.

• His earliest years were spent as a quiet child with little or no attention spent on art or artistic qualities.

When he was young• His father thought he should take a

job─something like a salesclerk or carpenter.• He wandered from job to job with little success

and very little money.• He tried to become a professional art dealer

but it didn’t work.• He also worked with miners when he was

young.*Carpenter: woodworker

Become an artist

• After working with the miners for a period of time, Vincent's own urge to leave something of importance behind for mankind along with his brother Theo's consistent pressure, he became an artist.

• At home Vincent set to work on teaching himself how to draw. He tested various different techniques and styles along with experimenting with different subject matters.

Discovering color

• He moved from Holland to Paris, hoping to learn more about color techniques being used by Impressionist artists there.

• He adopted the brighter more vibrant colors with ease and began experimenting with the techniques he saw in the art of the impressionist and post impressionists.

Descent into madness

• Few who lived in van Gogh’s time appreciated his work, however. Many laughed when they saw his paintings, which hurt the sensitive artist terribly.

• Following an argument with fellow artist Paul Gauguin, van Gogh took a razor and cut off his own earlobe.

* razor : edge tool used in shaving

He was sent to a mental hospital

• Towards the end of 1888, the first signs of Van Gogh's mental illness began to take hold. He suffered from various types of epilepsy, psychotic attacks, and delusions.

*epilepsy : a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by loss of consciousness psychotic : characteristic of or suffering from psychosis delusions : illusion

During the hospital time

• Although he could not draw and paint for long periods of time without suffering from an attack, he managed to create The Starry Night which resides as his most popular work and one of the most influential pieces in history.

Final days

• He was released from hospital.• van Gogh continued working and created a

number of pieces; nearly one painting day. • Vincent viewed his life as horribly wasted,

personally failed and impossible. On July 27, 1890 Van Gogh attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest.

Van Gogh’s legacy

• Theo’s widow published his work and Vincent became famous nearly instantly. His reputation has been growing since.

• His work is still astounding millions around the world daily, and though he sold only one painting in his life, his influence on the outcome of art has been amazing and overwhelming.

Post-Impressionism• Vivid, unnatural ,arbitrary color• thick application of paint• distinctive brush strokes• real-life subject matter• distort form for expressive effect

* Coin: invent Stroke: a mark made on a surface by a pen, pencil, or paintbrush

The potato eaters• peasant painter• with deep feeling, but without sentimentality• these people had used the same hands with which

they now take food from the plate to dig the earth and had thus earned their meal honestly

* Prowess: marvelous ability Peasant: countryman

Cafe Terrace at Night• The Cafe Terrace on the Place du Forum• colored oil painting• the first painting in which he used starry

backgrounds

* terrace: usually paved outdoor area adjoining a residence primed: original canvas: a heavy, closely woven fabric used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents easel: an upright tripod for displaying something

The Starry Night• painted from memory during the day• most well known works that has inspired

thousands of artists• the village of Saint-Rémy under a swirling sky• The cypress tree• astronomical photograph of a star• Genesis 37:9 in the Bible

* depicts: portray, describe sanitarium: hospital, clinic genesis: origin asylum: refuge

* rapport: coincidence exemplar: example nocturnal: night

Self portraits• painted himself 37 times between 1886 and

1889• some with beard, some beardless, some with

bandages• painted himself reflected in his mirror

* prolific: productive sever: detach mutilate: cut

Wheatfield with Crows• in the last weeks of van Gogh's life• double-square canvas• dramatic, cloudy sky filled with crows• a sense of isolation

Flowering Orchards• the symbolism of rebirth• with optimism and zeal• awakening and hope

* zeal: enthusiasm aesthetically: in a tasteful way

Flowers• interests in the language of color• rendered with thick brushstrokes and heavy

layers of paint

* render: picture, depict