Explore Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) was a prolific Dutch painter who created approximately 2,100 artworks, about a third of which he made in the last two years of his life. He is known for his iconic renderings of sunflowers, landscapes, interiors, and self-portraits in oil using an impressionistic, impasto brush stroke technique.

Posthumously one of the most famous and recognizable artists in the world, van Gogh was virtually unknown during his lifetime. He traveled extensively throughout Europe, spending time in Belgium, France, and England. His brother, Theo, operated a gallery in London, and he introduced Vincent to art in the city’s museums. While Theo attempted to sell Vincent’s paintings, he was unable to find many buyers.

Van Gogh struggled with his mental health, often suffering from psychotic episodes, delusions, and blackouts. During one of these occurrences, spurred by an argument with fellow artist Paul Gaugin (1848-1903), he famously cut off his own ear, although he later could recall nothing about the event. He used painting to express his emotions and way of being in the world, and one of his most iconic self-portraits, “Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear” (1889) portrays the artist in a vulnerable period during the last year of his life.

The artist’s work is housed in major museum collections around the world and continues to be a popular subject of literature and cinema, including Irving Stone’s novel Lust for Life and a 1956 film based on the book, the 2017 animated film Loving Vincent, and the 2018 feature film At Eternity’s Gate.