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Vincent Van Gogh Essay

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Vincent Van Gogh was one of the world 's greatest artists. Though not widely known in his lifetime, he is now considered to be the greatest Dutch artist aside from Rembrandt. He was born Vincent William van Gogh in Groot-Zundert, a small town in Brabant Netherlands, on March 30, 1853. His father was a protestant pastor which is believed to have greatly influenced Van Gogh . His mother, Anna Cornelia Carbentus, was artist that loved nature, drawing and watercolors. Her interest in all of these areas was transferred to her son. Vincent Van Gogh was born exactly one year after his parents ' first son, also named Vincent, was stillborn. Van Gogh was the eldest of six children. He developed strong religious views about life and nature which …show more content…

He began to use more primary colors instead of the dark foreboding colors from his early paintings. He also began painting solely outside which he continued for the remainder of his life. After two years in Paris, Van Gogh and a friend, Gauguin moved to Arles. His friend did not like it there and decided to return to Paris, this angered Van Gogh. He began to exhibit behaviors which were reminiscent of his earlier troubled years. When Van Gogh became angry and chased Gauguin through the streets with a knife, the friend began to fear for his life. The friend refused to stay the night in their apartment that evening and in response, Van Gogh went to a local bar and cut off his own ear which he gave to a known prostitute for payment saying, “keep this object carefully.” Van Gogh had to go to the hospital for care, and decided to commit himself to an asylum for the insane. Here he hoped to restore his self confidence and health, but after only a short time he returned to Paris. Upon learning of his brother Theo’s financial problems and his child’s health issues life was overwhelming. One afternoon in July, Van Gogh went into the garden to paint and committed suicide with a single gunshot. His lifelong struggle with mental illness, causing him to live much of his life poor and virtually unknown, ultimately led to his death in 1890.
Vincent van Gogh led a troubled and tortured life but Van Gogh the artist used those trials to create art. In 1880 Van

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