VINCENT WILLEM VAN GOGH
Vincent was born on March 30, 1853, in the town called Groot-Zundert in Holland. His father Theodorus van Gogh, a protestant minister, and His mother Anna Cornelia van Gogh had six children, three sons and three daughters, of which Vincent was the eldest.

He left school at the age of sixteen and joined a firm of art dealers. After six years he left to pursue a vocation as a preacher. He moved to the Borinage, a poor mining region in Belgium, there he lived in extreme poverty, preaching and helping the sick.

By 1879 Vincent had become disillusioned with religious life, seemingly suffering a spiritual crises. He began drawing a great deal, he especially enjoyed drawing the miners. He felt home sick and missed his brother and in 1880, at the age of 27, Vincent decided to abandon his religious mission and become an artist.

Vincent then moved to Nuenen and opened a studio. He painted the peasants and produced many great works including 'The Potato Eaters' which is considered his first masterpiece.

In April 1886 Vincent began working under the tuition of the painter Fernand Cormonin at his Paris studio. During this time he met many other artist including Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin, Monet, Degas, Renoir, Sisley, Pissarro, and he felt a part of the artist community. His mental health began to deteriorate due to stress and alcohol, and being close to a complete breakdown, he decided to move to Arles, in the south of France, where he could work in a peaceful atmosphere and with less expense. He left Paris on February 18, 1888.

In May, Vincent moved into the "little yellow house" where he dreamed of starting an artist's community. In July, Paul Gauguin accepted Vincent's offer to move in with him in the hope that they could together realise that dream. Whilst waiting for Gauguin to arrive, Vincent painted some of his greatest works. Masterpieces such as sunflowers, Starry Night Over the Rhone and Bedroom in Arles. Gauguin arrived in Arles by train early on 23 October. They worked well together for two months, but their relationship began to deteriorate, and after a particularly violent argument, Vincent suffered a total mental collapse, He went after his friend with a razor. Gauguin managed to defuse the situation but Vincent went home and cut off his own earlobe. He wrapped it in cloth and took it to a brothel and presented it to one of the women there. Vincent was hospitalised and Gauguin immediately left for Paris. They would never meet in person again.

Vincent eventually made a full recovery and in the first weeks of 1889 he moved back into the yellow house, but after only a month he suffered another attack. By this time some of the residents of Arles had become alarmed by Vincent's behaviour. They signed a petition against him and presented it to the mayor. Vincent decided to commit himself to an asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

Vincent spent almost exactly one year at the asylum. He was allowed to paint and was even given his own studio. He often suffered attacks of hallucinations, epileptic seizures and mental breakdowns. During the summer he painted two of his most famous masterpieces, Starry Night and Irises.

In May 1890, Vincent finally left the St. Remy asylum and moved to the countryside to a town just north of Paris called Auvers-sur-Oise, and lodged at Auberge Ravoux inn, under the care of Dr. Gachet, who became a good friend and the subject of one of Vincent's most famous portraits. In the last ten weeks of Vincent's life he painted at least 70 paintings, then on July 27th 1890, Vincent went for a walk through one of the wheat fields where he strolled daily and there behind a haystack he shot himself in the chest with a revolver. He managed to stagger back to the inn where he lay down on the bed in his attic room. He was found by the innkeeper who called Dr. Gatchet. Dr. Gatchet contacted Theo who immediately rushed to his beloved brothers side. He remained there for the last hours of Vincent's life. Theo told Vincent that they would try to get him better, but Vincent wanted to die, he replied 'La tristesse durera toujours' ('The sadness will last forever.'). Theo cradled Vincent in his arms and Vincent spoke his last words, he said, "I wish I could pass away like this." Vincent van Gogh passed away at 1:30 am on 29 July 1890.

Theo lived for only another six months. He died in January 1891 after becoming very ill. Theo's widow Johanna had her husband's body exhumed so that he could be buried next to Vincent in Auvers.

A TRIBUTE TO VINCENT
This channel is a tribute to the genius of Vincent Van Gogh, to his life and works, the greatest artist the world has ever known. The main feature is the playlist section, collections of youtube videos, film, documentary, tributes etc. Watching these videos is a great way to learn more about the artist.

Please leave any quote of Vincent's that you like in the comments.

VINCENT ONLINE
Of the many Van Gogh websites, vggallery.com is the most outstanding. Over the past 12 years David Brooks has put together the most comprehensive resource of Vincent's life and works, including a complete collection of his art. Pictures of his paintings, watercolours, drawings, and letter sketches are all there, as well as the complete collection of letters to his brother Theo, his sister Wil and other members of his family and friends. There are many other great features including a forum where you can ask questions and discuss Vincent's work.

www.vggallery.com
www3.vangoghmuseum.nl
webexhibits.org/vangogh