Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh, eldest son of a Dutch Reformed minister and a bookseller's daughter, was born in Groot Zundert, Netherlands, on 30 March 1853. His early life involved various jobs: he worked as an art dealer in The Hague, London, and Paris (1873–1876), then as a lay preacher and teacher in England and Belgium. By 1879, after failing as a clergyman in the Borinage mining region, he returned to his parents and began drawing seriously, influenced by artists like Jean-François Millet. In late 1880, at age 27, Van Gogh committed to becoming an artist, moving to Brussels then Etten to study basics like figure drawing and perspective. He settled in The Hague in 1882 under cousin Anton Mauve's brief tutelage, producing early works focused on peasant life. From 1883–1885 in Nuenen, he created over 40 peasant studies, culminating in his first major composition, The Potato Eaters (1885), emphasizing gritty rural realism. Seeking advancement, Van Gogh studied briefly at Antwerp Academy (1885–1886), admiring Rubens and Japanese prints, then moved to Paris to live with brother Theo, an art dealer. Exposed to Impressionists like Pissarro, Degas, and Gauguin, he lightened his palette and experimented with color. Frustrated, he relocated to Arles in 1888 to form an artists' commune, producing iconic series like Sunflowers during Gauguin's visit, but their clash led to Van Gogh severing his ear. A mental breakdown followed, leading to hospitalization in Arles and then the Saint-Rémy asylum (1889), where he painted masterpieces like The Starry Night and Wheatfield with Cypresses amid episodes of psychosis. In 1890, he moved to Auvers-sur-Oise under Dr. Paul Gachet's care, producing prolifically before shooting himself on 27 July; he died two days later. Supported financially by Theo, his work gained attention only posthumously.