The Complex and Troubled Life of Vincent Van Gogh

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Van Gogh Born on March 30th, in 1853, Vincent Van Gogh was the son of a pastor in Groot-Zundert, Holland. Throughout his life many learned that there was more than meets the eye to Van Gogh. Van Gogh was a very complex and troubled man and through his struggle used his art as an outlet for his emotions, creating some of the most famous paintings throughout history. Vincent Van Gogh was a self-taught artist born the eldest son of Theodorus Van Gogh and Anna Cornelia Carbentus. Vincent was born exactly one year after the Van Gogh’s first son had been born a stillborn. Many people believe that Vincent Van Gogh struggled with being the replacement child for the families lost of the first Vincent Willem. Eventually, Vincent would have five more siblings: Thoedorus, Cornelius Vincent, Anna Cornelia, Elisabeth Huberta, and Willemina Jacoba. Though there is very little about the early life of Vincent Van Gogh, much of what we know is from his correspondence with his siblings, especially with younger brother, Theo, and younger sister, Willemina. In her memoirs, his sister Elisabeth recalls Vincent being a serious, sensitive boy who preferred solitude to the companionship of family and friends and loved flowers, birds, and insects. He was a good student, but, according to his sister, his choice of clothing and his eating habits and solitary nature made him appear slightly strange to others from a young age (Sparknotes). Vincent Van Gogh’s education was not complete for her only went to school for one year in Zundert. Van Gogh then went to boarding school in Zevenbergen for two years, then he completed eighteen months of high school at Tilburg. While at Zevenbergen he studied English, French, and German before he transferred to Tilburg... ... middle of paper ... ...acks and reactive depression that caused bipolar disorder. Looking over the course of his life it would seem evident that there were definitely some mental issues going on. These issue that pushed Vincent Van Gogh to commit suicide at the age of 37. Deemed as one the greatest and most famous Post-Impressionism painters of his time, I would say that Vincent Van Gogh was a very successful artist. Though he may have had some issues, theses issues are what helped him produce the great art that we have of his today. Many people would call him a “tortured soul” of sorts, but what artist isn’t? Vincent Van Gogh had done so much in his lifetime and accomplished so much in such a short career, which I believe is astounding. Many people say people do crazy things for what they love and I truly believe that Vincent Van Gogh did crazy things for his love art and expression.

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