In 1889, after he had voluntarily entered the asylum at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Van Gogh wrote to his sister that “I haven't left my room for two months. I don't know why…. The feeling of loneliness takes hold of me in the fields in such a fearsome way that I hesitate to go out.
But the life of this underappreciated Dutch post-impressionist painter wasn't as pleasant as his paintings. Throughout his life, Vincent struggled with rejection, poverty, and an unsuccessful career as an artist which eventually led him into severe depression until he succumbed to his mental injuries and died.
The biggest evidence for Van Gogh's mental state not being exclusively tied to his art is the fact that his low self-esteem throughout his life does not seem to have affected his art at all.
Vincent found it difficult to deal with the uncertainty about his future and illness. He felt lonely and depressed. Nevertheless, he was exceptionally productive in Auvers.
That would go against his honesty about his fight against mental problems. Van Gogh was simply happy quite often and appreciated his life chasing his dreams to be a recognized artist.
Artists with dyslexia
Kaufman notes, “The truth is that people with dyslexia thrive in many fields. Famous dyslexic artists include Pablo Picasso, Leonardo Da Vinci, Vincent Van Gogh, Michelangelo, Chuck Close, and Andy Warhol.” [He references the book: Living with Dyslexia by Nicola Brunswick.]
The sunflower paintings had a special significance for Van Gogh: they communicated 'gratitude', he wrote.
At Eternity's Gate is one of Van Gogh's most emotional paintings, which demonstrates a deep understanding of emotion through the physical reaction of the subject. The painting portrays an old man seated in a chair with his hands on his head, weeping at the thought of his life coming to an end.
His sensitivity made him who he was.
In a letter to his brother, Van Gogh mused that he wanted viewers of his art to know his heart, to know that he felt “deeply and tenderly.” Like many HSPs, he had a deep appreciation for the beauty of nature.
It is good to love many things, for therein lies strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done with love is well done. ”
The ear was given to a cleaner at a brothel, not a prostitute. For a long time, the accepted story was that van Gogh gifted the bloody appendage to a woman named Rachel, a prostitute at the brothel van Gogh frequented while living in Arles, in southern France.
Born in 1853, Van Gogh struggled with mental illness throughout his life. He suffered from depression, anxiety, and eventually developed epilepsy. These conditions made it difficult for him to maintain stable relationships, and he often felt isolated and alone.
Was Vincent van Gogh ever lucky in love? Read on for the answer. Vincent had plenty of love interests throughout his life, but things never went smoothly. He got off to a bad start when he fell in love with his niece, Kee Vos-Stricker, who rejected his advances.
If we can be certain about one thing, it's that Theo was Vincent's best friend. But he could also count others amongst his friends. During his Dutch period, he had regular contact with Anthon van Rappard, a fellow artist with whom he sometimes went painting.
Born in 1853, Vincent Van Gogh was always a serious and quiet child, who spent much of his time observing and drawing the world around him. Vincent began having problems with anxiety and depression when he was young, but had his first notable anxiety attack when he was twenty-eight.
Vincent produced his self-portraits because he wanted to practise painting people. The majority of them – over 25 – were done while he was in Paris (1886–88). He was short of money in that period and struggled to find models. So the artist chose the simplest solution and painted himself.
'Van Gogh's use of yellow is considered to derive from the sun, and appears to be related to an ambivalence to his father, as expressed in sun worship, while the complementary colours red and green were correlated with his bisexuality and castration anxiety.
How much is 'Sunflowers' worth? When Van Gogh's own copy of the original version went on auction at Christie's, as much as 40 million dollars was paid to purchase it. Taking into account inflation, this painting would have cost $100m. It was purchased by Tokyo-based Yasuda insurance company.
Van Gogh, moreover, did not suffer from dementia, as can be seen from his writings and paintings right up until the end of his life. He did not show the symptoms of general paralysis, a well-known pathology at the time, or any signs of tabes.
In van Gogh's case, an early childhood trauma initiated a life-long suicidal process. His difficulties as regards attachment to and separation from his parents continued throughout his life and his emotional instability, intensity and lowered tolerance to frustration seem to portray a borderline personality.
Vincent van Gogh: Dutch Painter 1853 – 1890
We all know the infamous story of this post-impressionist painter cutting off his own ear, but did you know he had temporal lobe epilepsy and well as suspected bipolar disorder? He was born with a brain lesion made more severe through his extensive absinthe intake.
This one's easy: no, Vincent didn't have any children.
Vincent's life had plenty of ups & downs, but he could always count on the support of his younger brother Theo. It was Theo who advised Vincent to become an artist and supported him financially, and when things got tough, it was Theo at his side.
In 1962, through the Kingdom of the Netherlands, he transferred control of the entire collection (the paintings, drawings and letters) to the Vincent van Gogh Foundation. In return, the State arranged for the Van Gogh Museum to be built, helping to ensure that the collection remains accessible to everyone, forever.
He never married or had children.
Next, he became involved with a woman named Sien Hoornik, a former prostitute who served as his model and also had young children. Van Gogh's family disapproved of Hoornik and the relationship eventually ended.