Van Gogh failure

Van Gogh failure

In the realm of art there have been numerous accounts of infamous artists who have stood out in their art period, such as Goya, Monet and Picasso. One artist who stood out during his art period was Vincent van Gogh, not only for his artwork but also because of his tragic life. Vincent van Gogh is now a world-renowned painter who was born on March 30th, 1853. He was born in Groot Zundert in North Brabant and was the son of Theodorus van Gogh. His art is considered to be part of the expressionism era and his most famous art works include Starry Night, Sun Flowers and The Mulberry Tree. But though he has had much love, admiration and popularity after his death, van Gogh could be considered a failure during his life, for he could not have any type of stable relationship with anyone. He failed to get along with other people including other artists, failed to have a stable relationship with his family and also failed in having any type of successful love relationships.

Although an artist should be able to be at peace with his/her surroundings, van Gogh could never blend in with society nor could he get along with other artists. As a young man, his peers did not accept Vincent: “in the class of Mr. Bokma he certainly was the most advanced, but he does not feel at home at the school, he is ‘like a fish out of water’ he says, and is ridiculed for is peculiarities in dress and manners.” (48). Van Gogh was uncomfortable in his surroundings at Brussel, a school for teaching religion, and was mocked by his classmates because his attire was disagreeable to their taste. As he matured as a man, he still was unable to get along with other people: “Acquaintances, and relatives are shocked to see him walk about with such a slovenly woman; nobody cares to associate with him any longer and his home life is such that nobody come to visit him.” (56) Many people disagreed or disliked the fact that he was involved with a woman, who was “such a slovenly woman”, and so they never cared to visit Vincent anymore or have any association with him any longer. Even as an artist, van Gogh could not even get along with other artists let alone society as a whole: “ Vincent and I simply cannot live together in peace, in consequence of incompatibility of temper, and he as well as I, we need quiet for our work.”(73). This quote was from a letter from G...

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...d he has also drawn a portrait of her (which seems to have been lost), but the thought of a more intimate relation did not occur to her, and when Vincent spoke to her at last about his love, a very decided no was the immediate reply”(54). Once again as Vincent gathered his courage to express his love, but again denied. Lastly, Vincent failed again to establish a love relationship with a woman named Kee, who entered into his life when he lived in Holland. His method, which he followed to win her heart, was, “to love her so long, that she’ll love me in the end”(130). But in the end she never loved Vincent and once again Vincent was left alone. In all of his attempts, Vincent had failed in all his adventures to develop any type of love relationships.

For a world-renowned artist, Vincent van Gogh led a life of failure. He failed in almost to get along with people in society. He failed to have a healthy and balanced l relationship with his family. Lastly he had failed in any type of love interest, for a number of women who entered his life. Love, admiration and popularity simply was not a life that Vincent van Gogh had lead, instead one of heartache, solitude and rejection.