Biography of Vincent van Gogh

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There are a myriad of names that we as humans associate with true greatness. Whether these names are associated with great battles, great knowledge, scientific advancement or even art, almost every child knows at least a handful. Vincent van Gogh is one of these great names. He is world renowned for his paintings, and today they are being sold for millions, yet in his lifetime he only sold one of his works. Much is known about his life, because of his correspondence with his younger brother, and others, in the form of letters. However his life is commonly oversimplified to his works and the act of cutting off his ear. Van Gogh’s thirty seven years on earth were difficult, he struggled with mental illness and constant sickness. In the public eye he was a menace with mediocre art, however to those who knew him best, he was a kind man, simply trying to find his place in the world. The following is simply an analysis of a life. One is unable to truly understand the life of another, and even though Vincent van Gogh’s life is more documented than most, a summary by no means defines any life completely. By analyzing the event in his life, a better understanding of his masterpieces is obtained. Vincent van Gogh was the oldest surviving child of Reverend Theodoros and Anna Cornelia van Gogh. He was named after his grandfather, and more tragically his stillborn brother. Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30th 1853, exactly one year after baby Vincent’s death. Throughout his childhood van Gogh would constantly be compared too perfect baby Vincent in heaven. His mother loved nature, so she would often walk the Dutch country side with Vincent. As a child he would constantly find himself at baby Vincent’s grave with his mother, and he carried ... ... middle of paper ... ...ogh. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 519-526. Gruitrooy, G. (1994). Van Gogh: An appreciation of his art. New York: Todtri Productions. Hind, C. L. (1969). The post impressionists. Freeport, N.Y: Books for Libraries Press. Interpretive Resource | The Art Institute of Chicago. (2001). Retrieved from http://www.artic.edu/aic/resources/resource/272 Merberg, J., & Bober, S. (2002). In the garden with Van Gogh. San Francisco, Calif: Chronicle Books. Postimpressionism. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.nga.gov/ Vincent van Gogh The Letters. (2013, October). Retrieved from http://www.vangoghletters.org/vg/ Vincent van Gogh (1853?1890) | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (2000). Retrieved from http://www.metmuseum.org/ Vincent Van Gogh - Alienated Artist [Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.biography.com

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