Art · 1853–1890
Born: 30 March 1853 · Died: 29 July 1890 · Age: 37
Dutch Post-Impressionist painter of The Starry Night and Sunflowers, who sold little in his lifetime but became one of art's most loved figures
Did you know?He cut off part of his own ear during a period of mental distress and later painted himself with a bandage.
Vincent van Gogh's story is one of the great ironies of art history. During his lifetime he sold almost nothing and lived largely on the support of his devoted brother Theo; today his paintings are among the most valuable and beloved in the world. He did not take up painting seriously until his late twenties, yet in about a decade he produced more than 2,000 artworks, many in the final two years of his life. His swirling skies, blazing sunflowers and thick, energetic brushstrokes turned emotion into colour. His letters to Theo, honest about his struggles with mental illness, have made him one of the most human figures in art.
Vincent Willem van Gogh (Dutch:; 30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art.
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Profile
Dutch painter, born 1853
Vincent van Gogh was born in Zundert on 30 March 1853.
He painted about 860 oil paintings in a decade.
He painted The Starry Night in 1889.
He died in Auvers-sur-Oise on 29 July 1890.
Career highlights
Did you know?He sold very few paintings during his lifetime.
Questions people ask
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