Vincent Van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853 to Theodorus Van Gogh and Anna Corneilla Carbemtus, and was the second oldest of six children. His father was a protestant minister, a profession that Vincent showed great interest to. He is still today known as one of the greatest Dutch painters of all time. At the early age of 16, Vincent worked for Goupoil & Co., an art dealer. Vincent had two unsuccessful relationships at the time. In 1873, his job transferred him to London, then to Paris. In 1978, he followed his father’s footsteps and became a preacher. He was dismissed after six months but he continued without pay. (Read, 2006)
In 1880, Vincent expressed his love to his widowed first cousin Kee Vos, but she rejected him. After her rejection toward him, he moved in with a prostitute and considered marrying her, but with the disapproval of his father and brother, they later separated. (Ayoub, 2005)
. Vincent went to Paris in the spring of 1886 to live with his brother Theo. He met painters: Edgars Degas, Camille Pissarro, Henride de Trulouse-Loutric and Paul Gaughn. He attended the art academy of Antwerp Belgium in the winter of 1885-1886, but was dismissed, once again, by his professor. Around this time he experimented with Japanese art. He admired its bright colors, use of canvas space and the role lines played in the picture. These impressions would influence him strongly. Van Gogh made some painting in Japanese style. Also some of the portraits he painted are set against a background which shows Japanese art. (Ayoub, 2005).
In 1889, Vincent Van Gogh was admitted (by choice) to a psychatric center at Monastary Saint-Paul de Mausole in Saint Remy de Provence, Bouches-chi, France. Vincent left in may of 1890 and went to a docotr by the name of Paul Gachet. (Ayoub, 2005)
All throughout Van Gogh’s life had a difficult and moody personality. Various biographies about his life describe him as depressed, bipolar, and suffering from epilepsy, psychotic attacks, and delusions. His friendship with Paul Gaugen was “electric” as he would say until December 24, 1888, an argument broke out between them and Vincent attacked Gaugen then immediately after he cut a large piece of his ear off. He gave it to the prostitute whom he had had a relationship with earlier in his lifetime. This was the turning point toward his mental breakdown.
On July 27, 1890, Vincent Van Gogh shot himself in the chest. He struggled back home where he died two days later with his brother Theo at his side. Theo said his last words were “La tristesse durera toujours” (French: The saddness will last forever.) He was buried at the cemetry of Auver-sur-Oise. Theo took his brother’s death very heard. He died six months later and was buried beside him
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