Van Gogh

I'm studying art, and I've landed on the fascinating world of Vincent van Gogh. It's intriguing how, at first glance, one might feel a sense of familiarity with his work because of its immense popularity and iconic status in the art world. His paintings, characterized by vibrant colors and expressive brushwork, are instantly recognizable and often seen in textbooks, galleries, and even on everyday merchandise. However, as I delve deeper into his life and artistic journey, I realize that my understanding of him as a human being was quite superficial.

The more I learn about Van Gogh, the more I am struck by the complexities of his character and the profound struggles he faced throughout his life. One aspect that particularly captivates me is his deeply emotional relationship with his brother, Theo van Gogh. Their bond was not just that of siblings; it was a lifeline for Vincent, providing him with both financial support and emotional encouragement during his turbulent life. Theo believed in Vincent's talent when few others did, and he stood by him through his mental health crises and periods of intense creativity.

If you are curious read below......

Van Gogh admired his elder brother Vincent for his whole life, but communicating with him proved to be difficult, even before Vincent became an artist. The communication between both brothers suffered from diverging definitions of standards, and it was evidently Theo who kept on writing letters. Vincent did not keep all the letters Theo sent, but Theo kept every scrap of correspondence from his brother (651 letters addressed to Theo in total).^[16] Most of Vincent's replies survived but only 32 of Theo's remain.^[16] Theo was often concerned about Vincent's mental condition and he was amongst the few who understood his brother.^[17] It is known that Theo helped Vincent maintain his artist lifestyle by giving him money. He also helped Vincent pursue his life as an artist through his unwavering emotional support and love. The majority of Theo's letters and communications with Vincent are filled with praise and encouragement. Vincent would send Theo sketches and ideas for paintings, along with accounts of his day-to-day experiences, to the delight and eager attention of Theo.^[18]

His brother Vincent died in July 1890 at age 37, after shooting himself with a revolver. Theo suffered from dementia paralytica, now understood as late-stage neurosyphilis,^{[10][11][12][13]} and his health declined rapidly after Vincent's death. Unable to take the loss of his brother, he died six months later at age 33, in Den Dolder.^[14]

Van Gogh's great-grandson, also named Theo van Gogh, was a film director, who was murdered on the streets of Amsterdam in 2004 by an Islamic extremist after making a short film critical of the treatment of women in Islamic culture.^[15]

There's so much more about them both, if you want to read more here's the link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh#:~:text=a%20Dutch%20Post%2DImpressionist%20painter%20who,the%20history%20of%20Western%20art.

Also if you have any Artist's you'd recommend learning about please send them through!

Nothing But Love.

T xoxo