Vincent Van Gogh Essay

Although he is known as one of the greatest painters of all time, Vincent van Gogh perceived himself as a failure throughout his life, which he himself would later cut short. He is known as a tortured artist as he went through many setbacks in his love life and career. Although these difficult experiences brought a heavy burden, they proved to be influential for his works of art. Van Gogh had not originally envisioned himself to be an artist; however, he was destined to leave a legacy far from what he could have ever imagined. Vincent van Gogh was born in Groot-Zundert, Holland in 1853 to a very religious family ("Vincent Van Gogh Gallery"). At a young age, he was asked to stop his education in order to help provide for their poor family.
In 1886 he moved to Paris with Theo, where he learned more about the impressionists style of art and decided to lighten up the colors used for his paintings. He met with several artists such as Toulouse and Bernard, as well as Gauguin with whom he grew to have a closer working relations. Van Gogh sought to create a little colony for artists like him, and did so in Arles, France where he urged Gauguin to stay with him("Vincent Van Gogh"). This was the time when Van Gogh was able to finish much of his works such as Sunflowers. However, during their few months stay at Arles, Gauguin and Van Gogh began to disagree with each other’s styles and techniques. It was at this time when Van Gogh experienced much stress which triggered many symptoms of his mental illness. In 1888, signs of delusions and psychotic attacks stuck Van Gogh, as he threatened to kill Gauguin with a razor. Van Gogh used the same razor to mutilate his ear before he was admitted to Saint-Paul-de-Mausole hospital in Saint-Remy where he stayed in an asylum. In 1890, after he was discharged from the hospital, Van Gogh attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself on the chest. He died two days later from his