Vincent Van Gogh GEM

 Vincent Van Gogh

Van Gogh, full name Vincent Van Gogh, was a very fascinating artist. He began his artistic journey throughout 1880, at the age of 27, and continued until his death in 1890, at the age of 37. 

Despite his short career, Van Gogh was still able to produce an insane amount of artwork. He created about 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, most of them in the last two years of his life. This includes landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and self-portraits.

Artwork Source: The Museum about Vincent van Gogh in Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum

                    His Life                   .

Vincent van Gogh was born on March 23, 1853 in Groot Zundert, North Brabant, Netherlands. He wasn't always an artist. First, he worked in an art shop and then tried being a missionary.

During 1880, when he was 27, Van Gogh started painting. His early art was dark and showed poor people's lives, like in his famous painting "The Potato Eaters."

When Van Gogh departed to Paris around 1886, he changed his style. He started using bright colors and bold brushstrokes, influenced by other artists and Japanese art.

When Van Gogh moved to Arles, France. He started to paint lots of famous paintings, including "Sunflowers" and "The Starry Night." These are some of his most famous works.

Van Gogh faced many challenges, particularly with his mental health. He once cut off part of his ear during a difficult time. Despite feeling very bad, he continued to keep painting until the end of his life. Sadly, he died in 1890 at the age of 37. After his death, his art gained a lot of popularity. Today, he is celebrated as one of the greatest artists, and his paintings are admired all over the world.

                    His Work                .

Van Gogh painted numerous portraits, including over 40 self-portraits. These works are now loved for their emotional depth and raw honesty. Through these self-portraits, we can see the changes in Van Gogh's style and emotional state over time.

Many of Van Gogh's most famous works are landscapes. He captured the essence of the places he lived and visited, from the fields and farms of rural Netherlands to the sunny vistas of southern France. "Starry Night", "Wheatfield with Crows" and “Starry Night Over the Rhône” are prime examples of his landscape work.

Van Gogh also produced a large number of still lifes, often featuring flowers, like his famous "Sunflowers" series. These works are celebrated for their vibrant colors and dynamic brushstrokes, which brought new life and energy to the traditional still life genre.

While he was living in Paris, Van Gogh painted urban scenes, capturing the vibrancy and dynamism of city life.  An example of this can be the "Café Terrace at Night"(1888). This period marked a significant shift in his color palette and brushwork, influenced by Impressionism.

Particularly in his later years, Van Gogh was fascinated by nature and gardens, which are recurrent themes in his work. He used vibrant colors and bold strokes to convey the beauty and energy of the natural world like in the painting of  "The Garden of Saint-Paul Hospital"(1889).

Overall, Van Gogh's painting style was very unique and helped change modern art. He used a lot of paint to make his pictures feel almost 3D, a method called ‘Impasto’. His brushstrokes were bold and full of feeling, making his paintings look lively and emotional. Van Gogh loved bright colors and often used them straight from the paint tube, which made his art really stand out. Sometimes, he put tiny dots of different colors close together to create a special glowing effect called ‘Divisionism’. A great example of him implementing this art style is in the painting "Starry Night Over the Rhône". He also liked to change the way things looked in his paintings to show more feeling, rather than just making them look real. Van Gogh used colors and shapes to express his emotions, not just to copy what he saw. All these techniques made his art very special, unique, full of emotion, and colorful.

My opinion on Van Gogh

After looking at a variety of Van Gogh's paintings, I find it really interesting to explore old art. His paintings, like 'Café Terrace at Night,' are so detailed and mix dark and bright colors in a way that I find really relaxing. It's fascinating how he used different colors to create such detailed effects.

Van Gogh's life was also full of ups and downs. He had a lot of passion for art, especially after not doing well in other jobs. Sadly, his mental health got worse over time as an artist, which people think led to his suicide. Knowing this adds a kind of eerie feeling to his paintings for me.

I think Van Gogh is still famous today for a few good reasons. He painted in a unique and interesting way, different from others. His tough life, dealing with mental health issues and not being famous until after he died, makes his art even more meaningful. He painted all sorts of things, from places to portraits, appealing to many people. Plus, we also see Van Gogh mentioned in movies, books, and songs, which keeps his memory alive. He was really skilled at painting, and that’s why so many people still admire his work.

Considering all this, it's not surprising that he's still famous today. His art really stands out because of the techniques he used. In my opinion, Van Gogh definitely deserves the fame he has today because of how much he impacted the art world.

Other people views on Van Gogh

(something extra so you can see other people perspectives on him)

Van Gogh has become a cultural icon. His life story, particularly the struggles he faced and his commitment to his art, has inspired books, films, and music, contributing to a broader understanding and appreciation of his work.

Today, Van Gogh is considered one of the most influential figures in Western art history. His work continues to be studied, exhibited, and revered, with his paintings fetching some of the highest prices in the art market.