What paintings did Van Gogh paint? Life of Vincent van Gogh

- great Dutch artist, post-impressionist. Van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853 in Grotto-Zundert. Died July 29, 1890 in Auvers-sur-Oise, France. For my creative life created a large number of paintings that are today considered masterpieces of world painting. The work of Vincent Van Gogh cannot be overestimated, since his art had a huge influence on the development of painting in the 20th century.

During his life, Van Gogh created more than 2,100 works! During the artist’s lifetime, his work was not as widely known as it is today. He lived in need and poverty. At the age of 37, he attempted suicide by shooting himself with a pistol, after which he died. After the death of Vincent van Gogh, connoisseurs and critics of painting turned to his art close attention; Exhibitions of the artist’s paintings began to open in different cities around the world, and he was soon recognized as one of the greatest and most influential artists of all time. Vincent van Gogh is one of the most recognizable artists in the world today. Some of his paintings are considered among the most expensive works of art in the world. The painting "Portrait of Doctor Gachet" was sold for $82.5 million. The cost of the painting “Self-Portrait with a Cut Off Ear and Pipe” in 1990 was between 80 and 90 million dollars. The painting "Irises" was sold in 1987 for $53.9 million.

Vincent Van Gogh's collection of paintings contains a large number of paintings that are considered incredibly expensive, very famous, and from a cultural point of view, priceless. However, among all Van Gogh’s paintings there are also the most famous ones, which are not just fabulously expensive, but also real “ business cards" by this artist. Next you can see the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh with the titles that are considered the most famous.

The most famous paintings of Vincent van Gogh

Self-portrait with cut off ear and pipe

Self-portrait

Memories of the garden in Etten

Potato eaters

Starry night over the Rhone

Starlight Night

Red vineyards in Arles

Bulb fields

Night terrace in a cafe

Night cafe

These days, few people do not know about the great artist Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh's biography was destined to be not too long, but eventful and full of hardships, brief ups and desperate downs. Few people know that in his entire life, Vincent managed to sell only one of his paintings for a significant amount, and only after his death did contemporaries recognize the enormous influence of the Dutch post-impressionist on 20th-century painting. Van Gogh's biography can be briefly summarized in dying words great master:

The sadness will never end.

Unfortunately, the life of this amazing and original creator was full of pain and disappointment. But who knows, maybe if it weren’t for all the losses in life, the world would never have seen his amazing works, which people still admire?

Childhood

A brief biography and work of Vincent Van Gogh was restored through the efforts of his brother Theo. Vincent had almost no friends, so everything we now know about the great artist was told by a man who loved him immensely.

Vincent Willem van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853 in North Brabant in the village of Grote-Zundert. The firstborn of Theodore and Anna Cornelia Van Gogh died in infancy - Vincent became the eldest child in the family. Four years after Vincent was born, his brother Theodorus was born, with whom Vincent was close until the end of his life. In addition, they also had a brother, Cornelius, and three sisters (Anna, Elizabeth and Willemina).

An interesting fact in Van Gogh’s biography is that he grew up as a difficult and stubborn child with extravagant manners. At the same time, outside the family, Vincent was serious, soft, thoughtful and calm. He did not like to communicate with other children, but his fellow villagers considered him a modest and friendly child.

In 1864 he was sent to a boarding school in Zevenbergen. The artist Van Gogh recalled this part of his biography with pain: his departure caused him a lot of suffering. This place doomed him to loneliness, so Vincent began studying, but already in 1868 he left his studies and returned home. In fact, this is all the formal education that the artist managed to receive.

A brief biography and work of Van Gogh is still carefully preserved in museums and a few testimonies: no one could have imagined that the enfant terrible would become a truly great creator - even if his importance was recognized only after his death.

Work and missionary activity

A year after returning home, Vincent goes to work at the Hague branch of his uncle's art and trading company. In 1873, Vincent was transferred to London. Over time, Vincent learned to appreciate and understand painting. He later moved to 87 Hackford Road, where he rented a room from Ursula Loyer and her daughter Eugenie. Some biographers add that Van Gogh was in love with Eugenie, although the facts suggest that he loved the German Carlina Haanebeek.

In 1874, Vincent was already working in the Paris branch, but he soon returned to London. Things are getting worse for him: a year later he is again transferred to Paris, visits art museums and exhibitions, and finally plucks up the courage to try his hand at painting. Vincent cools down to work, fired up by a new business. All this leads to the fact that in 1876 he was fired from the company for poor work.

Then there comes a moment in the biography of Vincent van Gogh when he returns to London again and teaches at a boarding school in Ramsgate. During the same period of his life, Vincent devoted a lot of time to religion; he developed a desire to become a pastor, following in the footsteps of his father. A little later, Van Gogh moved to another school in Isleworth, where he began working as a teacher and assistant pastor. Vincent preached his first sermon there. His interest in writing grew, and he became inspired to preach to the poor.

At Christmas, Vincent went home, where he was begged not to go back to England. So he stayed in the Netherlands to help in a bookshop in Dordrecht. But this work did not inspire him: he mainly occupied himself with sketches and translations of the Bible.

His parents supported Van Gogh's desire to become a priest, sending him to Amsterdam in 1877. There he settles with his uncle Jan Van Gogh. Vincent studied hard under the supervision of Yoganess Stricker, a famous theologian, preparing for exams for admission to the theology department. But very soon he quits his studies and leaves Amsterdam.

The desire to find his place in the world led him to the Protestant Missionary School of Pastor Bokma in Laeken near Brussels, where he took a course in preaching. There is also an opinion that Vincent did not graduate full course, because he was driven away due to his unkempt appearance, hot temper and fits of anger.

In 1878, Vincent became a missionary for six months in the village of Paturage in Borinage. Here he visited the sick, read the Scriptures for those who could not read, taught children, and spent his nights drawing maps of Palestine, earning his living. Van Gogh planned to enroll in an Evangelical school, but he considered paying for tuition discriminatory and abandoned the idea. Soon he was removed from the rank of preacher - this was a painful blow for the future artist, but also an important fact in Van Gogh’s biography. Who knows, perhaps, if not for this high-profile event, Vincent would have become a priest, and the world would never have known the talented artist.

Becoming an artist

Studying the short biography of Vincent Van Gogh, we can conclude: fate seemed to push him all his life in the right direction and led him to painting. Seeking salvation from despondency, Vincent again turns to painting. He turns to his brother Theo for support and in 1880 goes to Brussels, where he attends classes at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. A year later, Vincent is forced to leave his studies again and return to his family. It was then that he decided that an artist does not need any talent, the main thing is to work hard and tirelessly. Therefore, he continues painting and drawing on his own.

During this period, Vincent experiences a new love, this time for his cousin, the widow Kay Vos-Stricker, who was visiting the Van Goghs' house. But she did not reciprocate, but Vincent continued to look after her, which caused the indignation of her relatives. Eventually he was told to leave. Van Gogh experiences another shock and abandons attempts to improve his further personal life.

Vincent leaves for The Hague, where he takes lessons from Anton Mauve. Over time, the biography and work of Vincent Van Gogh was filled with new colors, including in painting: he experimented with mixing different techniques. Then such works of his as “Backyards” were born, which he created with chalk, pen and brush, as well as the painting “Roofs. View from Van Gogh's studio", painted in watercolor and chalk. Big influence The development of his work was influenced by Charles Bargue’s book “A Course in Drawing,” lithographs from which he diligently copied.

Vincent was a man of fine spiritual organization, and, one way or another, was drawn to people and emotional return. Despite his decision to forget about his personal life, in The Hague he still made another attempt to start a family. He met Christine right on the street and was so imbued with her plight that he invited her to live in his house with the children. This act finally broke Vincent’s relationship with all his loved ones, but they maintained a warm relationship with Theo. This is how Vincent got a girlfriend and a model. But Christine turned out to have a nightmare character: Van Gogh’s life turned into a nightmare.

When they parted, the artist went north to the province of Drenthe. He equipped his home as a workshop, and spent whole days outdoors, creating landscapes. But the artist did not call himself a landscape painter, dedicating his paintings to peasants and their everyday life.

Van Gogh's early works are classified as realism, but his technique does not quite fit into this direction. One of the problems that Van Gogh faced in his work was the inability to correctly depict the human figure. But this only played into the hands of the great artist: it became a characteristic feature of his manner: the interpretation of man as an integral part of the surrounding world. This can be clearly seen, for example, in the work “A Peasant and a Peasant Woman Planting Potatoes.” Human figures are like mountains in the distance, and the elevated horizon seems to press on them from above, preventing them from straightening their backs. A similar technique can be seen in his more late work"Red Vineyards"

During this period of his biography, Van Gogh writes a series of works, including:

• "Leaving the Protestant Church in Nuenen";
• "Potato Eaters";
• "Peasant Woman";
• "Old church tower in Nuenen."

The paintings are created in dark shades, which symbolize the author’s painful perception of human suffering and a feeling of general depression. Van Gogh depicted the heavy atmosphere of hopelessness of the peasants and the sad mood of the village. At the same time, Vincent formed his own understanding of landscapes: in his opinion, landscape expresses state of mind human through the connection between human psychology and nature.

Parisian period

Artistic life The French capital is thriving: it was there that the great artists of the time flocked. A landmark event was the exhibition of impressionists on rue Lafitte: for the first time, works by Signac and Seurat, who heralded the beginning of the post-impressionism movement, were shown. It was impressionism that revolutionized art, changing the approach to painting. This movement presented a confrontation with academicism and outdated subjects: at the head of creativity are pure colors and the very impression of what he saw, which are subsequently transferred to the canvas. Post-Impressionism was the final stage of Impressionism.

The Parisian period, lasting from 1986 to 1988, became the most fruitful in the artist’s life; his collection of paintings was replenished with more than 230 drawings and canvases. Vincent Van Gogh forms his own view of art: the realistic approach is becoming a thing of the past, replaced by a desire for post-impressionism.

With his acquaintance with Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Claude Monet, the colors in his paintings begin to lighten and become brighter and brighter, eventually becoming a real riot of color, characteristic of his last works.

An iconic place was Papa Tanga's shop, where they sold art materials. Here many artists met and exhibited their works. But Van Gogh’s temper was still irreconcilable: the spirit of competition and tension in society often drove the impulsive artist crazy, so that Vincent soon quarreled with his friends and decided to leave the French capital.

Among famous works Parisian period the following pictures:

• “Agostina Segatori at the Tambourine Cafe”;
• "Papa Tanguy"
• "Still Life with Absinthe";
• "Bridge over the Seine";
• "View of Paris from Theo's apartment on Rue Lepic."

Provence

Vincent goes to Provence and is imbued with this atmosphere for the rest of his life. Theo supports his brother's decision to become a real artist and sends him money to live on, and he, in gratitude, sends him his paintings in the hope that his brother will be able to sell them profitably. Van Gogh checks into a hotel where he lives and works, periodically inviting random visitors or acquaintances to pose.

With the onset of spring, Vincent goes outside and draws flowering trees and reviving nature. The ideas of impressionism gradually leave his work, but remain in the form of a light palette and pure colors. During this period of his work, Vincent wrote “The Peach Tree in Bloom” and “Anglois Bridge in Arles”.

Van Gogh even worked at night, once inspired by the idea of ​​capturing the special night colors and glow of the stars. It works by candlelight: this is how the famous “Starry Night over the Rhone” and “Night Cafe” were created.

Severed ear

Vincent lights up the idea of ​​creating common house for the artist, where creators could create their masterpieces while living and working together. An important event marks the arrival of Paul Gauguin, with whom Vincent had a long correspondence. Together with Gauguin, Vincent writes works filled with passion:

• "Yellow House";
• "Harvest. La Croe Valley";
• "Gauguin's Chair".

Vincent was overjoyed, but this union ends in a loud quarrel. Passions were heating up, and in one of his desperate moments, Van Gogh, according to some accounts, attacks a friend with a razor in his hands. Gauguin manages to stop Vincent, and he ends up cutting off his earlobe. Gauguin leaves his house, while he wrapped the bloody flesh in a napkin and handed it to a prostitute he knew, Rachelle. His friend Roulin found him in a pool of his own blood. Although the wound soon healed, the deep scar on his heart affected Vincent’s mental health for the rest of his life. Vincent soon finds himself in a psychiatric hospital.

Creativity flourishes

During periods of remission, he asked to return to the studio, but the residents of Arles signed a statement to the mayor asking him to isolate the mentally ill artist from civilians. But the hospital did not forbid him to create: until 1889, Vincent worked on new paintings right there. During this time, he created more than 100 drawings in pencil and watercolor. The canvases of this period are distinguished by tension, bright dynamics and juxtaposition of contrasting colors:

• "Landscape with Olives";
• "Wheat field with cypress trees."

At the end of the same year, Vincent was invited to participate in the G20 exhibition in Brussels. His works aroused great interest among art connoisseurs, but this could no longer please the artist, and even a laudatory article about the “Red Vineyards in Arles” did not make the exhausted Van Gogh happy.

In 1890 he moved to Opera-sur-Ourz, near Paris, where for the first time for a long time saw my family. He continued to write, but his style became increasingly gloomy and depressing. Distinctive feature of that period became a curved and hysterical contour, which can be seen in the following works:

• "Street and stairs in Auvers";
• “Rural road with cypress trees”;
• "Landscape in Auvers after the rain."

Last years

The last bright memory in the life of the great artist was meeting Dr. Paul Gachet, who also loved to write. Friendship with him supported Vincent during the most difficult periods of his life - besides his brother, the postman Roulin and Doctor Gachet, by the end of his life he had no close friends left.

In 1890, Vincent painted the canvas “Wheat Field with Crows,” and a week later a tragedy occurred.

The circumstances of the artist's death look mysterious. Vincent died from a shot in the heart from his own revolver, which he carried with him to scare away birds. Dying, the artist admitted that he shot himself in the chest, but missed, hitting a little lower. He himself got to the hotel where he lived, and they called a doctor for him. The doctor was skeptical about the suicide attempt version - the angle of entry of the bullet was suspiciously low, and the bullet did not go through, which suggests that it was as if they were shooting from afar - or at least from a distance of a couple of meters. The doctor immediately called Theo - he arrived the next day and was with his brother until his death.

There is a version that on the eve of Van Gogh’s death, the artist had a serious quarrel with Dr. Gachet. He accused him of insolvency, while his brother Theo is literally dying from a disease that is eating him up, but still sends him money to live on. These words could have greatly hurt Vincent - after all, he himself felt enormous guilt before his brother. In addition, in recent years, Vincent had feelings for the lady, which again did not lead to reciprocity. Being as depressed as possible, upset by a quarrel with a friend, and having recently left the hospital, Vincent could well have decided to commit suicide.

Vincent died on July 30, 1890. Theo loved his brother endlessly and experienced this loss with great difficulty. He began organizing an exhibition of Vincent's posthumous works, but less than a year later he died of severe nervous shock on January 25, 1891. Years later, Theo's widow reburied his remains next to Vincent: she believed that inseparable brothers should be close to each other at least after death.

Confession

There is a widespread misconception that during his lifetime Van Gogh was able to sell only one of his paintings - “Red Vineyards in Arles”. This work was only the first to be sold for a large amount- about 400 francs. However, there are documents indicating the sale of 14 more paintings.

Vincent Van Gogh received truly wide recognition only after his death. His commemorative exhibitions were organized in Paris, The Hague, Antwerp, and Brussels. Interest in the artist began to grow, and at the beginning of the 20th century, retrospectives began in Amsterdam, Paris, New York, Cologne and Berlin. People began to be interested in his work, and his work began to influence the younger generation of artists.

Gradually, prices for the artist's paintings began to increase until they became one of the most expensive paintings ever sold in the world, along with works by Pablo Picasso. Among his most expensive works:

• "Portrait of Doctor Gachet";
• "Irises";
• “Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin”;
• “Wheat field with cypress trees”;
• "A plowed field and a plowman."

Influence

In his last letter to Theo, Vincent wrote that, having no children of his own, the artist perceived the paintings as his continuation. To some extent this was true: he did have children, and the first of them was Expressionism, which later began to have many heirs.

Many artists subsequently adapted the features of Van Gogh’s style to their own work: Howard Hodgkin, Willem de Koening, Jackson Pollock. Fauvism soon came, which expanded the scope of color, and expressionism became widespread.

The biography of Van Gogh and his work gave the expressionists new language, which helped creators to delve deeper into the essence of things and the world around them. Vincent became, in a sense, a pioneer in modern art, trodden a new path in visual art.

It is almost impossible to tell a brief biography of Van Gogh: his work, unfortunately, short life, was influenced by so many different events that to omit even one of them would be a terrible injustice. Heavy life path brought Vincent to the pinnacle of fame, but posthumous fame. During life great painter did not know either about his own genius, or about the enormous legacy that he left to the world of art, or about how his family and friends missed him in the future. Vincent spent a lonely and sad life, rejected by everyone. He found salvation in art, but was never able to escape. But, one way or another, he gave the world many amazing works that warm people’s hearts to this day, so many years later.

The future artist was born in a small Dutch village called Grot-Zundert. This happy event happened in the family of the Protestant priest Theodore Van Gogh and his wife Anna Cornelius Van Gogh on March 30, 1853. The pastor's family had only six children. Vincent is the oldest. His family considered him difficult and strange child, while his neighbors noted his modesty, compassion and friendliness in his relationships with people. Subsequently, he repeatedly said that his childhood was cold and gloomy.

At the age of seven, Van Gogh was sent to a local school. Exactly a year later he returned home. Having received his primary education at home, in 1864 he went to Zevenbergen to a private boarding school. He studied there for a short time - only two years, and moved to another boarding school - in Tilburg. He was noted for his ability to study languages ​​and draw. It is noteworthy that in 1868 he unexpectedly quit his studies and went back to the village. This was the end of his education.

Youth

It has long been the custom that the men in the Van Gogh family were engaged in only two types of activities: trading in artistic canvases and parish activities. Young Vincent could not help but try himself in both. He achieved some success both as a pastor and as an art dealer, but his passion for drawing took its toll.

At the age of 15, Vincent’s family helped him get a job at the Hague branch of the art company Goupil and Co. His career growth was not long in coming: for his diligence and success in his work, he was transferred to the British department. In London, he transformed from a simple country boy, a lover of painting, into a successful businessman, a professional, knowledgeable in the engravings of English masters. A metropolitan gloss has appeared in it. Moving to Paris and working in central office company "Gupil". However, something unexpected and incomprehensible happened: he fell into a state of "painful loneliness" and refused to do anything. He was soon fired.

Religion

In search of his destiny, he went to Amsterdam and intensively prepared to enter the theological faculty. But he soon realized that he did not belong here, dropped out of school and entered a missionary school. After graduating in 1879, he was offered to preach the Law of God in one of the cities in the south of Belgium. He agreed. During this period he painted a lot, mainly portraits of ordinary people.

Creation

After the disappointments that befell Van Gogh in Belgium, he again fell into depression. Brother Theo came to the rescue. He provided him with moral support and helped him enter the Academy of Fine Arts. He studied there for a short time and returned to his parents, where he continued to independently study various techniques. During the same period, he experienced several unsuccessful novels.

The Parisian period (1886-1888) is considered the most fruitful time in Van Gogh's work. He met prominent representatives impressionism and post-impressionism: Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Renoir, Paul Gauguin. He constantly searched for his own style and at the same time studied various techniques modern painting. His palette also lightened imperceptibly. From light to a real riot of colors characteristic of his canvases recent years, there is very little left.

Other biography options

• After returning to the psychiatric clinic, Vincent, as usual, went to draw from life in the morning. But he returned not with sketches, but with a bullet fired by himself from a pistol. It remains unclear how a serious wound allowed him to reach the shelter on his own and live for two more days. He died on July 29, 1890.
• In a short biography of Vincent Van Gogh, it is impossible not to mention one name - Theo Van Gogh, the younger brother who helped and supported the elder all his life. He couldn't forgive himself last quarrel and subsequent suicide famous artist. He died exactly a year after Van Gogh's death from nervous exhaustion.
• Van Gogh cut off his own ear after a heated argument with Gauguin. The latter thought they were going to attack him and ran away in fear.

Vincent Van Gogh, a native of the Netherlands, is one of the most famous artists in the whole world. Thanks to the talent of the post-impressionist, it was created great amount incredible beauty of the works. Van Gogh's most famous paintings are now considered his “calling card”.

However, not all of them were as widely known during the artist’s lifetime as they are in our time. Only after Van Gogh's death were his works noticed by critics, and only then were they appreciated. His collection of paintings contains many priceless paintings when viewed from a cultural perspective.

Blooming almond branches 1890

"Blossoming almond branches"(1890). At the beginning of 1890, Theo, Van Gogh's brother, had a son, who was named after the artist - also Vincent. Van Gogh became very attached to the child and once wrote in a letter to his daughter-in-law Jo: “He always looks at Uncle Vincent’s paintings with great interest.” This painting was painted by Van Gogh as a gift for his nephew's birthday. The artist himself was an admirer of Japanese art, especially the genre of Ukiyo-e engraving. The influence of this branch of Japanese painting can be seen in this, one of the most famous paintings Van Gogh, which was highly praised by critics.

Wheat field with cypress trees 1889

"Wheat field with cypress trees"(1889). “Wheat Field with Cypress Trees” is one of three famous paintings by Van Gogh that are similar in composition. The painting mentioned above is the first of three and was completed in July 1889. The artist himself loved cypress trees and wheat fields and spent a lot of time enjoying their beauty. He regarded this painting as one of his best landscape paintings and, consequently, created two more similar works. It is this work that takes pride of place in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is located in New York.

Bedroom in Arles 1888

"Bedroom in Arles"(1888). This famous painting Van Gogh is the first version of the subsequent three similar paintings, which allude to it and are called much more simply - “The Bedroom”. The decision to paint this picture was made by the artist after a trip to the city of Arles, and subsequent move there. Van Gogh corresponded with his brother Theo and friend Paul Gauguin. He often sent them sketches of his future paintings, as he did with the painting “Bedroom in Arles.” However, along with the planned one painting, three versions were created during 1888–1889. This series of paintings is distinguished by the fact that it depicts other works of the artist within the canvas itself, such as self-portraits, portraits of friends and Japanese prints.

Potato Eaters 1885

"Potato Eaters"(1885). This piece was Van Gogh's first recognizable work. His goal while painting was to depict the peasants as realistically as possible. Before the world saw the final version of the canvas, the artist created many sketches and sketches. Critics noted the simple interior, which Van Gogh skillfully conveyed through the canvas, which contains only the necessary furniture. A lamp above the table casts a dim light, emphasizing the tired, simple faces peasants.

Self-portrait with bandaged ear 1889

"Self-Portrait with a Bandaged Ear"(1889). Vincent Van Gogh became famous for his self-portraits. Throughout his life, he painted more than 30. This canvas has its own history. Once Van Gogh had a quarrel with one an outstanding artist of that time - Paul Gauguin, after which the first got rid of part of his left ear, namely, he cut off the lobe with an ordinary razor. This painting is one of the artist's most famous self-portraits. After an unpleasant incident with Gauguin, he painted another self-portrait. Critics believe that this painting plausibly describes the artist’s facial features, since he painted it while sitting in front of a mirror.

Night cafe terrace 1888

"Night cafe terrace"(1888). In this painting, Van Gogh depicted the terrace of a café at the Forum Square in Arles, France. Due to the recognition of this painting, which has become widely known throughout the world, the terrace, which is located in the northeast corner of the square, attracts more and more tourists every day. This work was the first in which the artist depicted the starry sky. Café Terrace at Night remains one of Van Gogh's most analyzed and discussed paintings. Interestingly, one of the cafes in Croatia copied the design from the artist’s painting.

Dr. Gachet's Porter 1890

"Doctor Gachet's Porter"(1890) Paul-Ferdinand Gachet was a French doctor who treated the artist during last months his life. This portrait is one of Van Gogh's most famous paintings. However, there are two versions of the portrait, and this is the first version. In May 1990, this painting was auctioned for US$82 million, making it the most expensive painting ever sold. To date, this remains the highest price for a work of art at public auction.

Irises 1889

"Irises"(1889). Among Van Gogh's most recognizable works, this painting is the most famous. It was painted by Van Gogh a year before his death, and the artist himself defined it as “a lightning rod for my illness.” He believed that this painting was his hope not to go crazy. The artist’s canvas depicts a field, part of it strewn with flowers. There are other flowers among the irises, but it is the irises that occupy the central part of the picture. In September 1987, Irises sold for US$53.9 million. At that time, this was the highest price for which not a single painting had yet been sold. Today, the painting ranks 15th in the list of the most expensive works.

Sunflowers 1887

"Sunflowers"(1888). Vincent Van Gogh is considered a master of still life paintings and his series of sunflower paintings are considered the most famous still lifes ever created. The works are known and remembered for depicting the natural beauty of plants and their bright colors. One of the paintings, “Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers,” was sold to a Japanese investor for almost $40 million in March 1987. Two years later, this record was transferred to the Irises.

Starry Night 1889

"Starlight Night"(1889). This masterpiece was painted by Van Gogh from memory. It depicts the view from the window of the artist's sanatorium, which is located in Saint-Rémy de Provence in France. The work also shows Vincent's interest in astronomy, and research carried out by one of the observatories revealed that Van Gogh represented the Moon, Venus and several stars in the exact position they occupied on that clear night, which is imprinted in the artist's memory. The canvas is considered one of greatest works V Western art and, of course, is the most famous work Vincent Van Gogh.

Vincent Van Gogh, who gave the world his "Sunflowers" and "Starry Night", was one of greatest creators of all times. Small grave in rural areas France became his resting place. He fell asleep forever among those landscapes that Van Gogh, an artist who will never be forgotten, left on his own. For the sake of art he sacrificed everything...

A unique talent gifted by nature

"There is something of a delightful symphony in color." There was a creative genius behind these words. Moreover, he was smart and sensitive. The depth and style of this person's life is often misinterpreted. Van Gogh, whose biography has been carefully studied for many generations, is the most incomprehensible creator in the history of art.

First of all, the reader must understand that Vincent is not only the one who went crazy and shot himself. Many people know that Van Gogh cut off his own ear, and others know that he painted a whole series of paintings about sunflowers. But there are very few who really understand what talent Vincent had, what a unique gift nature awarded him.

The sad birth of a great creator

On March 30, 1853, the cry of a newborn child cut through the silence. The long-awaited baby was born into the family of Anna Cornelia and Pastor Theodore Van Gogh. This happened a year after the tragic death of their first child, who died within hours of birth. When registering this baby, identical information was provided, and long-awaited son The name of the lost child was given - Vincent William.

Thus began the saga of one of the famous artists peace. His birth was fraught with sad events. It was a child conceived after a bitter loss, born to people who were still mourning their dead firstborn.

Vincent's childhood

Every Sunday this red-haired, freckled boy went to church, where he listened to his parent's sermons. His father was a minister of the Dutch Protestant Church, and Vincent Van Gogh grew up in accordance with the norms of education accepted in religious families.

In Vincent's time there was an unspoken rule. The eldest son must follow in his father's footsteps. This is how it should have happened. This placed a heavy burden on the shoulders of the young Van Gogh. As the boy sat in the church pew listening to his father preach, he fully understood what was expected of him. And, of course, then Vincent Van Gogh, whose biography was not yet in any way connected with art, did not know that in the future he would decorate his father’s Bible with illustrations.

Between art and religious desires

The church occupied an important place in Vincent's life and had a huge influence on him. Being a sensitive and impressionable person, throughout his troubled life he was torn between religious zeal and a craving for art.

In 1857 his brother Theo was born. None of the boys knew then that Theo would play a big role in Vincent's life. They spent a lot happy days. We walked for a long time among the surrounding fields and knew all the paths around.

Young Vincent's talent

Nature in the rural hinterland where Vincent van Gogh was born and raised would later become a red thread running through all of his art. The hard work of the peasants left a deep impression on his soul. He developed a romantic perception of rural life, respected the inhabitants of this area and was proud of his proximity to them. After all, they earned their living by honest and hard work.

Vincent Van Gogh was a man who loved everything related to nature. He saw beauty in everything. The boy often drew and did it with such feeling and attention to detail, which is often characteristic of more mature age. He demonstrated the skills and craftsmanship of an accomplished artist. Vincent was truly gifted.

Communication with my mother and her love for art

Vincent's mother, Anna Cornelia, was a good artist and strongly supported her son's love of nature. He often took walks alone, enjoying the peace and tranquility of the endless fields and canals. When dusk deepened and the fog fell, Van Gogh returned to his cozy home, where the fire crackled pleasantly and his mother’s knitting needles knocked in time.

She loved art and maintained an extensive correspondence. Vincent adopted this habit of hers. He wrote letters until the end of his days. Thanks to this, Van Gogh, whose biography began to be studied by specialists after his death, could not only reveal his feelings, but also recreate many events related to his life.

Mother and son spent long hours together. They drew with pencil and paints, and had long conversations about their uniting love for art and nature. Meanwhile, my father was in the office, preparing for Sunday's sermon in church.

Rural life away from politics

The imposing Zundert administration building was located directly opposite their house. One day Vincent drew buildings while looking out of his bedroom window on the top floor. Later, he repeatedly depicted scenes seen from this window. Looking at his talented drawings of that period, one can hardly believe that he was only nine years old.

Contrary to his father's expectations, a passion for drawing and nature took root in the boy. He collected an impressive collection of insects and knew what they were all called in Latin. Very soon the ivy and moss of the damp, dense forest became his friends. At heart he was a true country boy, he explored the Zundert canals and caught tadpoles with a net.

Van Gogh's life took place far from politics, wars and all other events taking place in the world. His world was formed around beautiful flowers, interesting, and peaceful landscapes.

Communication with peers or home education?

Unfortunately, his special attitude towards nature made him an outcast among other village children. He was not popular. The rest of the boys were mostly the sons of peasants who loved the excitement of rural life. Sensitive and empathetic, Vincent, who was interested in books and nature, did not fit into their society.

Life for young Van Gogh was not easy. His parents were worried that other boys would have a bad influence on his behavior. Then, unfortunately, Pastor Theodore found out that Vincent's teacher was too fond of drinking, and then the parents decided that the child should be freed from such influence. Until the age of eleven, the boy studied at home, and then his father decided that he needed to get a more serious education.

Further education: boarding school

Young Van Gogh, biography, Interesting Facts And personal life which today interests a huge number of people, goes to boarding school in Zevenbergen in 1864. This is a small village located about twenty-five kilometers from home. But for Vincent it was like the other end of the world. The boy sat in the cart next to his parents, and the closer the walls of the boarding school approached, the heavier his heart became. Soon he will be separated from his family.

Vincent will miss him all his life home. Isolation from his family left a deep imprint on his life. Van Gogh was smart child and was drawn to knowledge. While studying at boarding school, he showed great ability for languages, and this later came in handy in life. Vincent spoke and wrote fluently in French, English, Dutch and German. This is how Van Gogh spent his childhood. short biography youth would not be able to convey all those character traits that were laid down from childhood and later influenced the artist’s fate.

Studying in Tilburg, or the strange story that happened to a boy

In 1866 the boy turned thirteen years old, and elementary education has come to an end. Vincent became a very serious young man, in whose gaze one could read boundless melancholy. He is sent even further from home, to Tilburg. He begins his education at a state boarding school. Here Vincent first became acquainted with city life.

Four hours a week were allocated to study art, which was rare at that time. This subject was taught by Mr. Huismans. He was a successful artist and ahead of his time. He used figurines of people and stuffed animals as models for his students' works. The teacher also encouraged the children to paint landscapes and even took the children out into nature.

Everything went well and Vincent passed his first year exams with ease. But within next year Something went wrong. Van Gogh's attitude to study and work changed dramatically. Therefore, in March 1868, he left school right in the middle of the school period and came home. What did Vincent Van Gogh experience at the Tilburg school? A brief biography of this period, unfortunately, does not provide any information about this. And yet, these events left a deep mark on the young man’s soul.

Choosing a life path

There was a long pause in Vincent's life. He spent fifteen long months at home, not daring to choose one path or another in life. When he turned sixteen, he wanted to find his calling in order to devote his whole life to it. Days passed in vain; he needed to find a goal. The parents understood that something needed to be done and turned to brother father living in The Hague. He headed an art trading company and could have gotten Vincent to work for him. This idea turned out to be brilliant.

If the young man shows hard work, he will become the heir of his rich uncle, who did not have any children of his own. Vincent, tired of the leisurely life of his native place, happily goes to The Hague, the administrative center of Holland. In the summer of 1869, Van Gogh, whose biography will now be directly related to art, begins his career.

Vincent became an employee at the Goupil company. His mentor lived in France and collected works by artists of the Barbizon school. At that time, people in this country were passionate about landscapes. Van Gogh's uncle dreamed of the appearance of such masters in Holland. He becomes the inspiration for the Hague School. Vincent had the opportunity to meet many artists.

Art is the most important thing in life

Having become familiar with the affairs of the company, Van Gogh had to learn how to negotiate with clients. While Vincent was a junior employee, he picked up the clothes of people coming to the gallery and acted as a porter. The young man was inspired by the art world around him. One of the artists of the Barbizon school was His canvas “The Ear Pickers” which found a response in Vincent’s soul. It became a kind of icon for the artist until the very end of his life. Millet depicted peasants at work in a special manner that was close to Van Gogh.

In 1870, Vincent met Anton Mauve, who eventually became his close friend. Van Gogh was a taciturn, reserved man, prone to depression. He sincerely sympathized with people who were less fortunate in life than he was. Vincent took his father's preaching very seriously. After work, he attended private theology classes.

Van Gogh's other passion was books. He's interested in French history and poetry, and also becomes a fan English writers. In March 1871, Vincent turns eighteen. By this time, he had already realized that art was a very important component of his life. His younger brother Theo was fifteen at that time, and he came to visit Vincent on vacation. This trip left deep impressions on both of them.

They even made a promise that they would take care of each other for the rest of their lives, no matter what happened. From this period, active correspondence began between Theo and Van Gogh. The artist’s biography will be updated later important facts precisely thanks to these letters. Before today 670 messages from Vincent arrived.

Trip to London. An important stage of life

Vincent spent four years in The Hague. It's time to move on. Having said goodbye to friends and colleagues, he prepared to leave for London. This stage of life will become very important for him. Soon Vincent settled in the English capital. The Gupil branch was located in the very center of the business district. Chestnut trees with spreading branches grew on the streets. Van Gogh loved these trees and often mentioned this in his letters to his family.

After a month, his knowledge of English expanded. The masters of art intrigued him, he liked Gainsborough and Turner, but he remained faithful to the art he had come to love in The Hague. To save money, Vincent moves out of the apartment rented for him by the Goupil company in the market area and rents a room in a new Victorian house.

He liked staying with Mrs. Ursula. The owner of the house was a widow. She and her nineteen-year-old daughter Evgenia rented out rooms and carried out teaching activities so that at least somehow. Over time, Vincent began to experience very deep feelings for Evgenia, but did not show them in any way. He could only write about this to his family.

Severe psychological shock

Dickens was one of Vincent's idols. He was deeply affected by the death of the writer, and he expressed all his pain in a symbolic drawing made shortly after such a sad event. It was a picture of an empty chair. who became very famous, painted a large number of such chairs. For him, this became a symbol of a person’s departure.

Vincent describes his first year in London as one of his happiest. He was in love with absolutely everything and still dreamed of Evgenia. She won his heart. Van Gogh tried in every possible way to please her, offering his help in various matters. After some time, Vincent finally confessed his feelings to the girl and announced that they should get married. But Evgenia refused him, since she was already secretly engaged. Van Gogh was devastated. His dream of love was shattered.

He kept to himself and spoke little at work and at home. I started eating little. The realities of life dealt Vincent a severe psychological blow. He begins to draw again, and this partly helps him find peace and distracts him from the difficult thoughts and shock that Van Gogh experienced. Paintings gradually heal the artist's soul. The mind was absorbed in creativity. He went into another dimension, which is typical of many creative people.

A change of scenery. Paris and homecoming

Vincent became lonely again. He began to pay more attention to the street beggars and ragamuffins inhabiting the slums of London, and this only intensified his depression. He wanted to change something. At work he showed apathy, which began to seriously worry his management.

It was decided to send him to the Paris branch of the company in order to change the situation and, possibly, dispel the depression. But even there, Van Gogh could not recover from loneliness and already in 1877 he returned home to work as a priest in the church, abandoning his ambitions to become an artist.

A year later, Van Gogh receives the position of parish priest in a mining village. It was a thankless job. The life of miners made a great impression on the artist. He decided to share their fate and even began to dress like them. Church officials were concerned about his behavior and he was removed from his position two years later. But the time spent in the village had beneficial influence. Life among the miners awakened a special talent in Vincent, and he began to draw again. He created a huge number of sketches of men and women carrying sacks of coal. Van Gogh finally decided to become an artist. It was from this moment that a new period began in his life.

More bouts of depression and returning home

The artist Van Gogh, whose biography repeatedly mentions that his parents refused to provide him with money due to instability in his career, was a beggar. His younger brother Theo, who was selling paintings in Paris, began to help him. Over the next five years, Vincent improves his technique. Provided with his brother's money, he sets off on a trip to the Netherlands. Makes sketches, paints in oils and watercolors.

Wanting to find his own pictorial style, Van Gogh went to The Hague in 1881. Here he rents an apartment near the sea. This was the beginning of a long relationship between the artist and his environment. During periods of despair and depression, nature was a part of Vincent's life. She was for him the personification of the struggle for existence. He had no money and often went hungry. His parents, who did not approve of the artist’s lifestyle, completely turned their backs on him.

Theo arrives in The Hague and convinces his brother to return home. At the age of thirty, Van Gogh, a beggar and full of despair, comes to parents' house. There he sets up a small workshop for himself and begins to make sketches. local residents and buildings. During this period, his palette becomes muted. Van Gogh's canvases are all in gray-brown tones. In winter, people have more time, and the artist uses them as his models.

It was at this time that sketches of the hands of farmers and people picking potatoes appeared in Vincent’s work. is Van Gogh's first significant painting, which he painted in 1885, at the age of thirty-two. The most important detail of the work is the hands of people. Strong, accustomed to working in the fields, harvesting crops. The artist's talent finally burst out.

Impressionism and Van Gogh. Self-portrait photo

In 1886, Vincent arrived in Paris. Financially, he also continues to depend on his brother. Here, in the capital of world art, Van Gogh is amazed by a new movement - the Impressionists. A new artist is born. He creates a huge number of self-portraits, landscapes and sketches of everyday life. His palette also changes, but the main changes affected his writing technique. Now he draws with fragmentary lines, short strokes and dots.

The cold and gloomy winter of 1887 took its toll on the artist, and he fell into depression again. His time in Paris had a huge impact on Vincent, but he felt it was time to get back on the road. He went to the south of France, to the provinces. Here Vincent begins to write like a man possessed. His palette is full bright colors. Sky blue, bright yellow and orange. As a result, juicy color scheme canvases thanks to which the artist became famous.

Van Gogh suffered from severe hallucinations. He felt like he was going crazy. The illness increasingly influenced his work. In 1888, Theo convinced Gauguin, with whom Van Gogh was on very friendly terms, to go visit his brother. Paul lived with Vincent for two exhausting months. They often quarreled, and once Van Gogh even attacked Paul with a blade in his hand. Vincent soon self-mutilated himself by cutting off his own ear. He was sent to the hospital. It was one of the most severe attacks of madness.

Soon, on July 29, 1890, Vincent Van Gogh died by committing suicide. He lived his life in poverty, obscurity and isolation, remaining an unrecognized artist. But now he is revered all over the world. Vincent became a legend, and his work influenced subsequent generations artists.