Vincent van Gogh, the immortal artist.
Today, who do you think is the most beloved artist? It might be Vincent van Gogh. His Sunflower paintings and ‘Starry Night’ evoke admiration from people. However, during van Gogh’s lifetime, people were indifferent to his work.
Van Gogh was a typical representative of the ‘Nth generation’ of today. He failed in love, never married, never had children, and had few friends. His paintings did not bring in money, so he had to rely on the money sent by his brother Theo to survive. Misunderstood by the world and not recognized for his art, van Gogh was often hurt.
Yet, van Gogh painted beautiful pictures with bright and warm colors. He left a quote saying, “As I get older, uglier, more malicious, sicker, and poorer, I want to retaliate with even more splendidly shining colors.”
Born in the Netherlands in 1853, van Gogh spent much of his twenties trying to find his calling. He started socializing when he got a job at the Netherlands branch of the French art gallery Goupil. He later worked as a missionary but was fired for lacking preaching skills. Van Gogh decided to become a painter at the relatively late age of 27, against his parents’ wishes. He believed that hardworking peasants should be the main subject of his paintings.
‘Potato Eaters’ depicts the hardships of peasant life. The painting shows a family eating potatoes in a cramped house. The lamp light illuminates their tired faces and rough hands. Van Gogh emphasized the poverty with dark and mottled colors.
In 1886, van Gogh went to Paris, France. In Paris, he adopted some of the Impressionist painting style. His colors became brighter, more vibrant, and sharper in Paris. ‘Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin’ is a painting of the postman in Paris who sold art supplies cheaply to struggling artists, lent money, or shared meals. The painting reflects Roulin’s kind nature.
‘Portrait of a Man with a Gray Felt Hat’ is a work where van Gogh creatively applied the pointillist technique. He used bold colors by drawing short lines. He placed complementary colors side by side, using blue and orange in the background, and red and green on the beard and eyes. Living together in an apartment, van Gogh and Theo did not have a smooth relationship. The cost of living in Paris was high, so van Gogh moved to Arles in southern France.
Arles was a place van Gogh was looking for. He could paint warm sunlight and vibrant landscapes there. In Arles, van Gogh painted over a dozen pictures featuring sunflowers. The background of ‘Twelve Sunflowers in a Vase’ has wide brushstrokes, giving a flat appearance. However, the petals and leaves were freely painted in different directions. In ‘Café Terrace at Night,’ the dark sky contrasts with the illuminated yellow café. The viewer’s gaze is drawn to the yellow café. People sitting on the terrace breathe life into the night scene.
While in Arles, van Gogh invited Paul Gauguin to join him. van Gogh wanted to create an artistic community in Arles. He believed that being with fellow artists could help advance art and save on living expenses. While with Gauguin, van Gogh painted their chairs. These chairs reflect the personalities of van Gogh and Gauguin, acting as ‘faceless portraits.’
‘Gauguin’s Chair’ is a wooden comfortable chair. The chair’s reddish brown contrasts sharply with the green background. A gas lamp illuminates the chair. Two novels are placed on it, highlighting Gauguin’s intellectual side. In contrast, ‘Van Gogh’s Chair’ is made of straw and is simpler. A pipe and tobacco pouch are placed on it. It gives a more humble and modest feeling compared to Gauguin’s chair.
Living together seemed smooth for van Gogh and Gauguin. They researched many topics together and discussed art. However, their relationship deteriorated about nine weeks after Gauguin arrived in Arles. They had an argument before Christmas, and Gauguin left the house, leaving van Gogh. According to Gauguin’s account, van Gogh threatened him with a razor that day. Afterward, van Gogh cut off his left ear with the razor. At that time, van Gogh received a letter from his brother Theo announcing his engagement. While we cannot know van Gogh’s feelings, the news of his supportive and financially helpful brother getting married may have triggered a panic in van Gogh.
‘Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear’ is a self-portrait van Gogh painted after the ear-cutting incident. His face looks sad and grim in the painting. He appears to be crouching in the large bandage.
After cutting his ear, van Gogh was admitted to a mental hospital. He tried to return home after being discharged, but the citizens of Arles petitioned to have him confined. Eventually, van Gogh voluntarily went back to the mental hospital. In the mental hospital in Saint-Rémy, located about 20 km northeast of Arles, van Gogh almost painted all day long from morning till night.
‘Starry Night’ is a beloved work by many. The night sky swirls, and the crescent moon and stars emit light. The houses in the village are brightly lit. These houses where families live together might have seemed cozy to van Gogh. The cypress tree on the left side appears to twist dynamically towards the night sky.
Unfortunately, van Gogh lost his sanity several times in the mental hospital. He had four seizures within a year. ‘Self-Portrait with Palette’ is a painting van Gogh created after attempting to swallow paint and committing suicide. His eyes look lonely and sad. His cheeks are sunken, giving a gaunt appearance.
Collaborator, Theo
His brother Theo was van Gogh’s only friend with whom he could confide. Theo had been supporting his brother financially since 1880. Grateful to his brother for sending money regularly, van Gogh also felt guilty. He once wrote to Theo, saying, “I feel overwhelmed by a sense of obligation and helplessness towards you for supporting me in my painting.”
Theo always supported van Gogh. He encouraged van Gogh’s paintings, including ‘Starry Night’ and ‘Sunflowers,’ saying, “They are truly magnificent,” and “One day, they will surely receive great recognition.” Theo also warned about the rapidly changing art world, saying, “Even those who are currently popular with the public will not enjoy that popularity forever,” and “Perhaps we should be glad that we do not enjoy public popularity.”
Van Gogh considered Theo a collaborative artist in his paintings. He told Theo, “If there is anything good in my work, I think half of it is what you have done.”
During the last month van Gogh spent in the mental hospital, Theo’s son was born. Theo and his wife named the baby Vincent, after his uncle. Initially, van Gogh opposed the name, fearing that the child should not live an unhappy life like his. However, the couple hoped the child would become a patient and courageous person like van Gogh. ‘Almond Blossom’ is a beautiful painting van Gogh created for his nephew Vincent. Against a blue sky, white almond blossoms bloom on the branches. The tree exudes an oriental style. While van Gogh usually used rough brushstrokes, he depicted the background calmly in this painting.