Who is the crazy genius Van Gogh?

A cursed and misunderstood artist, a sensitive and tortured mind, Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890) has become a legend. Reputed to be unclassifiable, he nevertheless belongs to the Post-Impressionist movement, just like his friend Paul Gauguin.

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With his lively palette and his exalted touch, he also appears as a precursor of Fauvism and Expressionism while approaching Symbolism through his mystical conception of art. A tireless painter who died at the age of 37, he produced more than 800 paintings. Combining reflections on form and color, Vincent Van Gogh’s approach perfectly embodies the genius of modern art.

He said “Once again I let myself go making stars that are too big. »

His life Vincent Van Gogh was born in the Netherlands, not far from Breda. He comes from a large bourgeois family, marked by the Protestant religion (his father is a pastor). Vincent bears the first name of a deceased younger brother. Bad omen? He is a sensitive and fragile child. He went to boarding school and began his apprenticeship in drawing. His uncle founded an art gallery in Paris, Goupil & Cie, with several branches in Europe. In 1869, Vincent Van Gogh made his debut there (in The Hague, Brussels and London), as a salesman. But this profession did not appeal to him and he was fired in 1876. His younger brother Théo also entered the business and moved to Paris in 1880. Vincent Van Gogh had a mystical temperament. His interest in religion developed quite early, he even hesitated to pursue this path by taking classes at the Protestant school of Laeken. Finally, his passion for art won out, encouraged by the example of Jean-François Millet, whose works he admired. He also cultivated a taste for Dutch painting with a dark palette and rustic subjects, which he discovered in particular by enrolling at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. In 1886, the artist joined his brother Théo in Paris. The latter introduced him to the world of bohemian art in Montmartre. Vincent Van Gogh made friends there, especially with Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Like the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists of his time, he was interested in subjects from everyday life and drew his inspiration from Japanese prints. However, despite the support of his brother, his works did not find any fans. In 1888, Vincent left Paris to settle in Arles. The light of the South exerts a profound influence on his palette. It was at this time that he painted Sunflowers. But the artist feels alone and suffers from depression. Following his dream of founding a community of artists, he convinced Paul Gauguin to join him. Living together is difficult. Following a violent argument, Vincent Van Gogh – according to the official thesis – seized a knife and cut off his ear. At his own request, he was interned in an asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. The works he painted, such as The Starry Night, reflect his inner turmoil. Van Gogh left Arles and took refuge in Auvers-sur-Oise where Dr. Paul Gachet, a friend of Paul Cézanne, lived. A relationship of trust was established between them, beneficial to the painter who produced several major works in Auvers. However, the depression undermined him and, on July 27, 1890, Van Gogh committed suicide – again according to the most widespread thesis – in the fields. His brother Theo survived him only six months, suffering from syphilis. They rest side by side in the cemetery of Auvers-sur-Oise.

Van Gogh – shoes

The Shoes, 1886

In 1886, Vincent Van Gogh painted two old shoes, abandoned, mismatched, empty. Fond of still lifes, he reconnects here with Dutch realism. Some have noticed that these are two left feet, as if Vincent Van Gogh wanted to express the wobbly couple he formed despite himself with his brother Theo, who always tried to help him. It could also be a form of symbolic self-portrait reflecting the destitution of the bohemian artist.

Some have noticed that these are two left feet, as if Vincent Van Gogh wanted to express the wobbly couple he formed despite himself with his brother Theo, who always tried to help him. It could also be a form of symbolic self-portrait reflecting the destitution of the bohemian artist.

The Starry Night, 1889

“Often it seems to me that the night is even more richly colored than the day,” the painter wrote. This nocturnal landscape was created from the room that Vincent Van Gogh occupied at the asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. It is distinguished by the treatment of the sky, which occupies most of the canvas. The swirling motion of the air forms waves, and the stars sparkle like so many suns. The key is fragmented, the colors are pure. The bustle of the sky contrasts with the tranquility of the sleeping village. Vincent Van Gogh expresses here his mystical vision of the world, in search of an invisible truth