Aleksandra Bojović
VINCENT VAN GOGH
Publishing House PČELICA Kolubarska 4, Čačak, Serbia office@pcelica.rs www.pcelica.rs
H
e is believed to be the greatest eccentric in the world of painters. He lived a modest and impoverished life and became famous only after his death. His name is Vincent van Gogh, and the story that follows is about his short and unfortunate life.
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Vincent van Gogh
A Dutch Vagabond Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch post-impressionist
painter and the founder of colouristic expressionism . He was born in 1853 in a Dutch village of Zundert. 1
2
He lived in the Hague, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Arles, Saint-RÊmy and Auvers-sur-Oise. Regardless of where and with who he lived, he felt lonely and as if he didn’t belong with the rest of the world. Even as a painter he was unable to find his place and receive the deserved recognition. Broken down by such a life, he ended it at the age of thirtyseven in an asylum. In the 20th century he became the most esteemed name in art history. š Post-impressionism is an art movement which developed in the late 19th century. 2 Expressionism is an all-encompassing art movement which formed at the beginning of the 20th century. It was a reaction to Impressionism.
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Childhood in a Clerical Family Vincent’s parents, his father Theodorus, a minister by profession,
and mother Anna Cornelia, had five more children besides Vincent: daughters Anna, Elisabeth, and Willemina, and sons Cor and Theo.
Among all of his family members, Vincent had the best relationship with his brother Theo. Many letters exchanged between the two of them are evidence of their mutual love and of the financial support that Vincent received from Theo. 8
Vincent Van Gogh was born exactly a year after his older brother who died at birth. In an attempt to lessen the sorrow of the loss of their first born child and to alleviate their pain, Vincent’s parents gave him the same name.
Thoughts on Sadness The sadness will last forever.
Vincent van Gogh
Once he found out that there was a child before him with the same first and last name, little Vincent started seeing himself as a replacement. Seeing his brother’s grave contributed to this. Later, in his letters, he referred to his childhood as a dark and cold period of his life. Many experts believe that this was where the causes of Van Gogh’s psychological instability came from.
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Young Merchants In the World of Art At the age of twenty-two Vincent van Gogh entered the
world of art, but as a dealer of reproductions1 for the Goupil company founded by his uncle. After a few years, aware of the fact that he didn’t possess the necessary merchant practicality, Vincent left this profession and devoted himself to painting.
Van Gogh’s younger brother Theo also found employment in their uncle’s company, but unlike Vincent, he saw it a steady source of income. This enabled Theo to support his brother in two ways. In one way, as an art dealer, so that he recommended his brother’s paintings, and in the other by supplying him with the necessary art materials, sending him canvases and paints every month.
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¹ A reproduction is a painting of small artistic value created as a copy of a well known piece of art.
Van Gogh seemed to be the black sheep in his family, an odd man incapable of adapting and living like other people. He didn’t have a practical mind, which was not very much appreciated in his family. In addition, he was naive and found it difficult to connect with other people. Thoughts on Illusions I wouldn’t like to lose the illusions I had when I came here. I’d rather alter them and differentiate between what is and what might be.
Vincent van Gogh Van Gogh’s parents were not happy with his behaviour and the fact that he renounced a proper city life. They felt that Vincent didn’t possess perseverance and was too quick to abandon any profession he chose.
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Aleksandra Bojović
VINCENT VAN GOGH
Publishing House PČELICA Kolubarska 4, Čačak, Serbia office@pcelica.rs www.pcelica.rs