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Van Gogh
Discusses the life, works, and lasting influence of Vincent van Gogh.
- GenresPicture Books
24 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 15, 2024
Vincent Van Gogh sold only one painting during his lifetime, only becoming the famous artist that he is now regarded as after his death.
He turned out all his work in a 10-year period, beginning at age 27 and dying at age 37, and in that time he produced more than 1,000 paintings and drawings, completing many of them in a single day.
He loved to show emotions in his paintings, often painting farmers and minors when he displayed the struggles of these working people.
His thick, curved brush strokes showed movement and excitement and his style of painting greatly influenced Expressionism, in which artists tried to show feelings in the work that they created.
In early life he worked as an assistant for an art gallery and in 1873 he moved to London to work for the company's (Goupil & Cie) art gallery there. He became unhappy with his work and left the company in 1876 and entered school to become a priest just like his father. However, he failed the necessary examinations but even so he persuaded church officials to allow him to be a minister in Borinage, a coal-mining district in southern Belgium.
He eventually left the job by which time he was writing lengthy letters to his brother Theo, telling him that creating art left him less sad and lonely. So he became an artist, moving to Brussels in 1880.
Theo financed Vincent's art as the latter was unable to earn any money selling his paintings. Vincent eventually lived with Theo in Paris but they often argued and Vincent moved to Arles, wanting to start an artists' community.
In 1890 Vincent moved to Auvers, near Paris, and when he heard that Theo might lose his job this upset him and he shot himself on 27 July 1890.
The prices of his art rose after his death and in 1987 his 'Irises' sold for $54 million and in 1990 his 'Dr Paul Gachet' sold for £52 million.
He turned out all his work in a 10-year period, beginning at age 27 and dying at age 37, and in that time he produced more than 1,000 paintings and drawings, completing many of them in a single day.
He loved to show emotions in his paintings, often painting farmers and minors when he displayed the struggles of these working people.
His thick, curved brush strokes showed movement and excitement and his style of painting greatly influenced Expressionism, in which artists tried to show feelings in the work that they created.
In early life he worked as an assistant for an art gallery and in 1873 he moved to London to work for the company's (Goupil & Cie) art gallery there. He became unhappy with his work and left the company in 1876 and entered school to become a priest just like his father. However, he failed the necessary examinations but even so he persuaded church officials to allow him to be a minister in Borinage, a coal-mining district in southern Belgium.
He eventually left the job by which time he was writing lengthy letters to his brother Theo, telling him that creating art left him less sad and lonely. So he became an artist, moving to Brussels in 1880.
Theo financed Vincent's art as the latter was unable to earn any money selling his paintings. Vincent eventually lived with Theo in Paris but they often argued and Vincent moved to Arles, wanting to start an artists' community.
In 1890 Vincent moved to Auvers, near Paris, and when he heard that Theo might lose his job this upset him and he shot himself on 27 July 1890.
The prices of his art rose after his death and in 1987 his 'Irises' sold for $54 million and in 1990 his 'Dr Paul Gachet' sold for £52 million.
December 26, 2025
Surprisingly I found more information about Van Gogh’s life and some about his art than I expected to find in this very slim volume. I was touched by the fact that he wanted to paint working people, but changed to flowers and nature when he could not sell any of the working. I was hoping there were more titles by this author than the four listed on the back cover. A good brief overview of the subject
Scott County Public Library
Scott County Public Library
June 15, 2022
Me encantó aprender sobre la vida de uno de los pintores más famosos de la historia. Única queja con este libro es que tiene varios errores gramáticos y solo hubo una fecha que me di cuenta estaba mal, decía que el incidente de la oreja fue en 1988 jaj y fue en 1888. Esta edición tiene algunos errores por ahí pero aparte de eso, muy concreta la manera en que esta biografía relata la vida de Vincent.
October 22, 2015
Read with my son to help with his book report. Would have liked more details.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews