Vincent Van Gogh: Biography and Life Tragedy

Vincent Van Gogh was a very talented artist but was not appreciated for his talents when he was alive. He was born on March 30, 1853. He had many jobs that had inspired him to become an artist. Even though he only sold one painting in his life, he still was motivated to draw and kept on drawing.

Vincent Van Gogh lived in France in 1888 which was the place that influenced him to include the theme of God's natural world. When he was 16, he went to The Hague to work for his uncle, an art dealer.

Vincent's brother Theo, to whom he was devoted, stayed in the family art business and eventually became his dealer. In 1876, Vincent tried to become a minister but failed his theology exams. Although he was not ordained, in 1878 he became a preacher in a poor coal-mining district in what is now Southwestern Belgium. After on, Vincent Van Gogh was diagnosed with a mental illness and shot himself in the chest and died at 1:30 am on July 29,1890, at the age of thirty-seven.

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Even though he was alive, the doctors decided not to remove the bullet from his body.

The tragedy of Vincent Van Gogh's mental illness, his disappointments in his years of Ministry in the mines in Belgium, and his few years of living in Arles, France led him to devote his life to art. He was interested in the people and scenes around him, was constantly recording them in drawings, and his commitment to God and to showing the beauty of God's natural world became a strong theme in his paintings while he was there, leading to the artwork that was a major triumph after his death.

Vincent Van Gogh's mental illness led him to commit suicide at the age of thirty-seven. In the text Letters from Vincent it stated that on "December 23 1888 after an argument with Gauguin, Van Gogh took a razor blade and severed his left ear. By this time Vincent, Van Gogh was diagnosed with his mental illness. In the text, it also states that Vincent Van Gogh "was marked by intermittent episodes of depression, violence and acting out behaviors"(Bonnie Butterfield pg. 1). Van Gogh's mental illness and depression were a big part of the tragedy of him committing suicide.

Vincent Van Gogh also worked in the Ministry of Belgium and lived in France Arles where he was not that happy. The text states that "However, two years later he was transferred to the Paris branch. Unhappy in France, he left the firm in March 1876 and returned to London"(Lubow, Arthur). Vincent Van Gogh was mostly happy in London. He was a bit disappointed in the way he was living in France Arles which might if lead to his depression. Leaving France and going back to London led to the triumph of his artwork.

Once he left France and went back to London when he had depression, he was influenced to devote his life to art. In the source Artble, it says "Van Gogh's work was an outlet for his emotion, particularly when battling depression". Van Gogh painted to battle his depression which was a big influence on the triumph of his artwork even though his depression was a big part of the tragedy of his suicide. The source Artble also stated that " he was 16 years old, he began working at the Hague gallery …...consequently, Van Gogh left the Church and set out to become an artist". Van Gogh first started to realize his love for art when he worked in the art gallery in London. Van Gogh also left the church in France every once in a while to paint and become an artist.

The scenery around him also had a big influence on the triumph of his artwork after his death, which also influenced to include God's natural world as a major theme in his paintings. While he was alive he used his surroundings as an inspiration and drew them which after he died became famous. The source Artble says that "Upon moving to Paris, Van Gogh was hugely inspired by the works of the Impressionists and Post-impressionists and he adopted their bright palette and developed a unique style which continues to be emulated by artists to this day". The other source stated that there, the influence of the sunlight and landscape inspired him to use even more vivid colors. His commitment to God and showing the beauty of God's natural world became a strong theme in his painting. In his works, nature vibrates with energy, motivated by the presence of God that van Gogh perceived in all living things". The land around him helped Vincent Van decided to include the theme of God's natural world in painting since Van Gogh was a religious person.

Even though the triumph of his artwork happened after his death and may be considered a tragedy, the tragedy of his suicide and problems he faced while he was alive helped him with the triumph of his artwork he got after he died. Vincent Van Gogh devoted his life to art and only of one painting out of the 900 painting and 1,100 drawings he made, his artwork still got famous a, but unfortunately after his death.