VINCENT VAN GOGHVINCENT VAN GOGH

1853 – 1890 1853 – 1890

• Vincent van Gogh, for whom color was the chief symbol of Vincent van Gogh, for whom color was the chief symbol of expression, was born in Groot-Zundert, Holland. expression, was born in Groot-Zundert, Holland.

• The son of a pastor, brought up in a religious and cultured The son of a pastor, brought up in a religious and cultured atmosphere, Vincent was highly emotional and lacked self-atmosphere, Vincent was highly emotional and lacked self-confidence. confidence.

• Between 1860 and 1880, when he finally decided to Between 1860 and 1880, when he finally decided to become an artist, van Gogh had had two unsuitable and become an artist, van Gogh had had two unsuitable and unhappy romances and had worked unsuccessfully as a unhappy romances and had worked unsuccessfully as a clerk in a bookstore, an art salesman, and a preacher in the clerk in a bookstore, an art salesman, and a preacher in the Borinage (a dreary mining district in Belgium), where he Borinage (a dreary mining district in Belgium), where he was dismissed for overzealousness. was dismissed for overzealousness.

• He remained in Belgium to study art, determined He remained in Belgium to study art, determined to give happiness by creating beauty. to give happiness by creating beauty.

• The works of his early Dutch period are somber-The works of his early Dutch period are somber-toned, sharply lit, genre paintings of which the toned, sharply lit, genre paintings of which the most famous is "The Potato Eaters" (1885). most famous is "The Potato Eaters" (1885).

• In that year van Gogh went to Antwerp where he In that year van Gogh went to Antwerp where he discovered the works of discovered the works of RubensRubens and purchased and purchased many Japanese prints. many Japanese prints.

• In 1886 he went to Paris to join his brother In 1886 he went to Paris to join his brother Théo, the manager of Goupil's gallery. Théo, the manager of Goupil's gallery.

• In Paris, van Gogh studied with Cormon, In Paris, van Gogh studied with Cormon, inevitably met inevitably met PissarroPissarro, , MonetMonet, and , and GauguinGauguin, and began to lighten his very , and began to lighten his very dark palette and to paint in the short dark palette and to paint in the short brushstrokes of the Impressionists. brushstrokes of the Impressionists.

• His nervous temperament made him a His nervous temperament made him a difficult companion and night-long difficult companion and night-long discussions combined with painting all day discussions combined with painting all day undermined his health. undermined his health.

• He decided to go south to Arles where he He decided to go south to Arles where he hoped his friends would join him and help hoped his friends would join him and help found a school of art. found a school of art. GauguinGauguin did join him did join him but with disastrous results. but with disastrous results.

• In a fit of epilepsy, van Gogh pursued his In a fit of epilepsy, van Gogh pursued his friend with an open razor, was stopped by friend with an open razor, was stopped by GauguinGauguin, but ended up cutting a portion , but ended up cutting a portion of his ear lobe off. of his ear lobe off.

• Van Gogh then began to alternate between Van Gogh then began to alternate between fits of madness and lucidity and was sent fits of madness and lucidity and was sent to the asylum in Saint-Remy for treatment. to the asylum in Saint-Remy for treatment.

• In May of 1890, he seemed much better and In May of 1890, he seemed much better and went to live in Auvers-sur-Oise under the went to live in Auvers-sur-Oise under the watchful eye of Dr. Gachet. watchful eye of Dr. Gachet.

• Two months later he was dead, having shot Two months later he was dead, having shot himself "for the good of all." himself "for the good of all."

– During his brief career he had sold one painting. During his brief career he had sold one painting.

– Van Gogh's finest works were produced in less Van Gogh's finest works were produced in less than three years in a technique that grew more than three years in a technique that grew more and more impassioned in brushstroke, in and more impassioned in brushstroke, in symbolic and intense color, in surface tension, symbolic and intense color, in surface tension, and in the movement and vibration of form and and in the movement and vibration of form and line. line.

• Van Gogh's inimitable fusion of form Van Gogh's inimitable fusion of form and content is powerful; dramatic, and content is powerful; dramatic, lyrically rhythmic, imaginative, and lyrically rhythmic, imaginative, and emotional, for the artist was emotional, for the artist was completely absorbed in the effort to completely absorbed in the effort to explain either his struggle against explain either his struggle against madness or his comprehension of madness or his comprehension of the spiritual essence of man and the spiritual essence of man and nature.nature.

• Road with Pollard Willows and Man with Broom / Drawing, Pencil, washedRoad with Pollard Willows and Man with Broom / Drawing, Pencil, washed / Etten: October, 1881 / Etten: October, 1881 / The Metropolitan Museum of Art / The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, New York, United States of America, North America New York, New York, United States of America, North America

Graphic, Lithograph

The Hague: 27-Nov, 1882

Drawing, Charcoal and crayon on cream wove paper

The Hague: December - late in month, 1882Worcester Art MuseumWorcester, Massachusetts, United States of America, North America

23 DE DICIEMBRE DE 188823 DE DICIEMBRE DE 1888

SE CORTA PARTE DEL LOBULO SE CORTA PARTE DEL LOBULO DE LA OREJA IZQUIERDADE LA OREJA IZQUIERDA

• PaintinPainting, Oil g, Oil on on CanvasCanvas

Saint-Saint-Rémy: Rémy: May May 12-15, 12-15, 18901890Kröller-Kröller-MüllerMüller Museu Museumm

Otterlo, Otterlo, The The NetherlNetherlands, ands, Europe Europe

mayomayoAUVERS (76 pinturas AUVERS (76 pinturas / 3 acuarelas)/ 3 acuarelas)

16-es dado de alta 16-es dado de alta del manicomiodel manicomio

juniojunio

juliojulio6-visita a theo en 6-visita a theo en parisparis

27-se dispara en el 27-se dispara en el pecho/29-muerepecho/29-muere