Vincent Van Gogh

Reading Van Gogh: The Life (2012) by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith took some time. This is a well researched and well written book. It was a challenge to even hold in my hands as the text of the book is close to nine hundred pages in length.

However, I learned a lot about Vincent Van Gogh(1853-1890) and his difficult life. Van Gogh is credited with creating around one thousand paintings and one thousand drawings. He sold at least two of these paintings and numerous drawings during of his life. Yet, he only lived to the age of 37. Also, his brother Theo who supported him emotionally and financially died within a year of his death.

Vincent may be best known for cutting his ear off and shooting himself. Regardless, he has become one of the most influential painters in western art. A Van Gogh sold for $82.5 million in 1990.

One of the things I admire most about Vincent is that he consistently painted portraits of the underclass which is not something you see everyday. Also, he was largely self-taught, a truly original artist.