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Vincent van Gogh facts for kids

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In this article, the family name is van Gogh, not Gogh.
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Vincent van Gogh
A head and shoulders portrait of a thirty something man, with a red beard, facing to the left
Self-Portrait, 1887, Art Institute of Chicago
Born
Vincent Willem van Gogh

(1853-03-30)March 30, 1853
Zundert, Netherlands
Died July 29, 1890(1890-07-29) (aged 37)
Auvers-sur-Oise, France
Education
  • Royal Academy of Fine Arts
  • Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts
Notable work
Movement Post-Impressionism
Vincent van Gogh - Sunflowers - VGM F458
Sunflowers (F.458), repetition of the 4th version (yellow background), August 1889. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Vincent van Gogh - Wheatfield with crows - Google Art Project
Wheatfield with Crows, 1890. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Vincent Willem van Gogh (March 30, 1853 – July 29, 1890) was a famous Dutch Post-Impressionist painter. He became well-known only after his death. Vincent struggled with severe depression and poverty throughout his life. He died young, at 37 years old, in 1890. Today, he is seen as one of the most important artists in Western art history.

Vincent van Gogh's Early Life

Vincent Willem van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853. His birthplace was Groot-Zundert in the Netherlands. He was the oldest child of Theodorus van Gogh, a minister, and Anna Cornelia Carbentus.

Vincent's parents married in 1851. His father did not earn much money. However, the church provided their family with a house, staff, and a carriage. This gave them a high social standing. Vincent had two brothers and three sisters. He stayed close with his sister Willemina ("Wil") and his brother Theo.

Vincent was a serious and thoughtful child. He loved art from a young age. His mother encouraged him to draw. He went to village school in 1860. Later, he attended boarding school and middle school. He felt unhappy at these schools.

Vincent van Gogh's First Jobs

In March 1868, van Gogh returned home. His uncle Cent helped him get a job at an art dealer. This company was called Goupil & Cie in The Hague. After training, Vincent moved to Goupil's London office in 1873. This was a happy time for him. He was good at his job and earned more than his father.

Head shot photo of the artist as a clean-shaven young man. He has thick, ill-kept, wavy hair, a high forehead, and deep-set eyes with a wary, watchful expression.
Head shot photo of a young man, similar in appearance to his brother, but neat, well-groomed and calm.
Vincent van Gogh in 1873, when he worked at the Goupil & Cie gallery in The Hague; His brother, Theo (pictured right, in 1878), was a life-long supporter and friend.

Before becoming a professional artist, van Gogh tried different jobs. He worked as a teacher in Ramsgate. He also helped a Methodist minister. He even wanted to become a pastor. In 1878, he tried to pass a theology exam for the University of Amsterdam but failed.

In January 1879, he became a missionary. He worked in a coal-mining area in Belgium called Borinage. To show support for the poor people there, he gave up his comfortable room. He moved into a small hut and slept on straw. His parents worried about him.

Cuesmes JPG001
Van Gogh's home in Cuesmes; while there he decided to become an artist

Vincent van Gogh's Art Training

In 1880, his brother Theo told him to take art seriously. At 27, Vincent joined the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts. There, he studied how to draw the human body and use perspective. He continued his art education in 1886. He went to the Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp.

His teachers in Antwerp did not like his unique painting style. He left the academy after getting sick. He was tired from overwork, poor food, and too much smoking.

Vincent van Gogh's Artistic Breakthrough

Vincent van Gogh - The yellow house ('The street')
The Yellow House, 1888. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

In February 1888, van Gogh moved to Arles, France. He loved the countryside and the bright light there. His paintings from this time use lots of yellow, blue, and purple colors. They show harvests, wheat fields, and other country scenes. One famous painting is The Old Mill (1888). He created 200 paintings and over 100 drawings in Arles.

On May 1, 1888, he rented a part of the Yellow House. He wanted a place to show his art. He started a series of paintings to decorate the Yellow House. These included Van Gogh's Chair (1888) and Bedroom in Arles (1888). Other works were The Night Café (1888) and Still Life: Vase with Twelve Sunflowers (1888).

  • A billiard table in the centre of a room of a café surrounded by tables. Patrons are seated at several tables, and a man dressed in white stands behind the billiard table.

    The Night Café, 1888. Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut

  • A man sowing seeds in front of a giant sun going down near a large tree

    The Sower with Setting Sun, 1888. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

  • On the edge of the sea four boats on the water in the distance; closer, four boats are on the dry sand on the beach

    Fishing Boats on the Beach at Saintes-Maries, June 1888. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

  • A small room with paintings on the wall, two chairs, a single bed and a table

    Bedroom in Arles, 1888. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin

Paul Gauguin - Vincent van Gogh painting sunflowers - Google Art Project
Paul Gauguin, The Painter of Sunflowers: Portrait of Vincent van Gogh, 1888. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

While living in Paris from 1886 to 1888, van Gogh met many Impressionist artists. One of them was Paul Gauguin. Van Gogh invited Gauguin to live and work with him in Arles. Vincent looked up to Gauguin and wanted to be seen as his equal. However, Gauguin was often proud and bossy, which upset van Gogh. Their friendship began to get worse, and they often argued.

After one argument, van Gogh's left ear was injured. Some art experts believe van Gogh hurt himself. Others think Gauguin was responsible. A policeman found van Gogh the next morning. He was taken to the hospital. The doctor could not reattach his ear because too much time had passed. Gauguin left Arles and never saw van Gogh again. However, they still wrote letters to each other.

Vincent van Gogh's Health and Fame

Van Gogh often did not take care of his physical health. He suffered from mental health challenges, including psychotic episodes and delusions. After the ear incident, he spent time in psychiatric hospitals, including one in Saint-Rémy. He was allowed short walks under supervision. During these walks, he painted cypress trees and olive trees. He also painted the hospital's rooms and gardens. Some of his paintings from this time, like The Starry Night, have swirling patterns. In September 1889, he painted two more versions of Bedroom in Arles.

From March 20 to April 27, 1890, van Gogh showed ten paintings. They were part of an exhibition in Paris. The famous artist Claude Monet said van Gogh's work was the best in the show.

  • In an indoor prison yard a large group of men walk in a circle, one behind the other. The face of the prisoner in the centre of the painting and looking toward the viewer looks like Van Gogh.

    Prisoners' Round (after Gustave Doré), 1890. Pushkin Museum, Moscow

  • A man is scattering seeds in a ploughed field. The figure is represented as small and is set in the upper right and walking out of the picture. He carries a bag of seed over one shoulder. The ploughed soil is grey; behind it rises a standing crop and, in the left distance, a farmhouse. In the centre of the horizon is a giant yellow rising sun with emanating yellow rays. A path leads into the picture, and birds are swooping down.

    The Sower (after Jean-François Millet), 1888. Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo

  • Two women are digging in a snowy field, covered in white, houses off in the distance, while the sun rises.

    Two Peasant Women Digging in a Snow-Covered Field at Sunset (after Jean-François Millet), 1890. Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection, Zurich, Switzerland

  • A painting of an old man who sits on a chair with his head in his hands.

    Sorrowing Old Man ('At Eternity's Gate'), 1890. Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo

Vincent van Gogh's Death

In May 1890, van Gogh left the clinic in Saint-Rémy. He moved closer to his brother Theo and Dr. Paul Gachet. Dr. Gachet was a doctor who also painted. He had treated other artists.

Vincent's depression continued. On July 27, 1890, he was badly injured. He died from his injuries two days later. He was buried on July 30 in Auvers-sur-Oise.

Vincent van Gogh's Personal Life

Van Gogh asked several women to marry him, but they all said no. He was unlucky in love. He never married or had children.

Famous Quotes by Vincent van Gogh

  • “It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.”
  • “I dream my painting and I paint my dream.”
  • “A great fire burns within me, but no one stops to warm themselves at it, and passers-by only see a wisp of smoke.”
  • “Normality is a paved road: It’s comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it.”
  • “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”

Interesting Facts About Vincent van Gogh

  • Van Gogh was named after his grandfather. He also had a brother with the same name who died at birth exactly one year before Vincent was born.
  • His grandfather was a well-known art dealer.
  • In just ten years, Vincent created about 2,100 artworks. This includes around 860 oil paintings. Most of these were made in the last two years of his life.
  • He sold only one painting while he was alive. It was The Red Vineyard. It sold for 400 francs in Belgium, seven months before he died.
  • The Starry Night, his most famous work, was painted while he was in a hospital in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France.
  • Van Gogh wrote almost 800 letters in his life. Most were to his brother and best friend, Theo.
  • Theo van Gogh was an art dealer. He gave his brother money and emotional support. He also helped Vincent meet important people in the art world.
  • Theo named his son Vincent, after his brother.
  • Theo’s wife worked hard to collect her brother-in-law’s art. Thanks to her, van Gogh's work started to become famous 11 years after his death.
  • A small planet, 4457 van Gogh, is named in his honor.

Vincent van Gogh's Major Art Series

Van Gogh loved to paint the beautiful nature around him. Here are some of the types of art he created.

Portraits by Vincent van Gogh

Van Gogh said he was most interested in painting portraits of people.

Vincent van Gogh's Self-Portraits

Self-Portrait (Van Gogh September 1889)
Self-Portrait, September 1889. Musée d'Orsay

Van Gogh painted more than 43 self-portraits. He made these between 1885 and 1889. They were usually done in groups. His self-portraits have different styles. Sometimes, he painted himself by looking in a mirror.

  • A portrait of Vincent van Gogh from the left, with an extreme intense, intent look, and a red beard.

    Self-Portrait, September 1889. Musée d'Orsay

  • A portrait of Vincent van Gogh from the left, with a relaxed but intent look, a red beard and wearing a grey hat.

    Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat, Winter 1887–88. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

  • A portrait of Vincent van Gogh from the left, with a relaxed look, a red beard and wearing a straw hat.

    Self-Portrait with Straw Hat, Paris, Winter 1887–88. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

  • A portrait of Vincent van Gogh from the left (good ear) holding a palette with brushes. He is wearing a blue cloak and has yellow hair and beard. The background is a deep violet.

    Self-Portrait, 1889. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. His Saint-Rémy self-portraits show his side with the unmutilated ear, as he saw himself in the mirror

  • A portrait of Vincent van Gogh from the left (good ear), with no beard.

    Self-Portrait Without Beard, c. September 1889. This painting may have been Van Gogh's last self-portrait. He gave it to his mother as a birthday gift.

Vincent van Gogh's Flower Paintings

Van Gogh painted many landscapes with flowers. These included roses, lilacs, irises, and sunflowers. His most famous flower paintings are of sunflowers.

  • A ceramic vase with sunflowers on a yellow surface against a bright yellow background.

    Still Life: Vase with Fourteen Sunflowers, August 1888. National Gallery, London

  • A ceramic vase with sunflowers on a yellow surface against a pale blue background.

    Still Life: Vase with Twelve Sunflowers, August 1888. Neue Pinakothek, Munich

  • Irises growing in a garden. There is bare soil visible and orange flowers in the background.

    Irises, May 1889. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

  • Pale pink blossoms on the branches of a tree against a pale blue sky.

    Almond Blossom, February 1890. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

  • Iris flowers and some green leaves in a yellow vase.

    Still Life: Vase with Irises Against a Yellow Background, May 1890, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

  • Pale pink roses in a green vase, against a pale green background.

    Still Life: Pink Roses in a Vase, May 1890, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Cypresses and Olives in Van Gogh's Art

He became very interested in cypress trees. This happened while he lived in Arles. When he was in Saint-Rémy, van Gogh spent time outside the hospital. There, he painted trees in the olive groves.

  • A painting of a large cypress tree, on the side of a road, with two people walking, a wagon and horse behind them, and a green house in the background, under an intense starry sky.

    Road with Cypress and Star, May 1890, Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo

  • A drawing of a landscape in which the starry night sky takes up two-thirds of the picture. In the left foreground a cypress tree extends from the bottom to the top of the picture. To the left, village houses and a church with a tall steeple are clustered at the foot of a mountain range. In the upper right is a crescent moon surrounded by a halo of light. There are many bright stars large and small, each surrounded by swirling halos. Across the centre of the sky the Milky Way is represented as a double swirling vortex

    Cypresses in Starry Night, a reed pen drawing executed by Van Gogh after the painting in 1889.

  • A painting of a large group of cypress trees, beside which two young women are walking, a large house in the background, under a cloudy blue sky.

    Cypresses and Two Women, February 1890. Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands

  • A painting of two large cypress trees under a bright afternoon sky, next to a wheat field in a landscape of hills, bushes, flowers and trees

    Wheat Field with Cypresses, September 1889. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

  • A painting of two large cypress trees, under a late afternoon sky, with a crescent moon

    Cypresses, 1889. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Vincent van Gogh's Orchards

The Flowering Orchards are among the first paintings van Gogh made after arriving in Arles in February 1888. There are 14 paintings in this group. They show a hopeful and joyful feeling of spring.

  • A watercolour of two pink peach trees in a blossoming orchard of trees near a wooden fence under a bright blue sky

    Pink Peach Tree in Blossom (Reminiscence of Mauve), watercolour, March 1888. Kröller-Müller Museum

  • A painting of a blossoming orchard of trees under a bright blue sky.

    The Pink Orchard also Orchard with Blossoming Apricot Trees, March 1888. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

  • A painting of a blossoming orchard of many trees near wooden fences bordered by large cypress trees under a bright blue sky.

    Orchard in Blossom, Bordered by Cypresses, April 1888. Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands

  • A close view of three blossoming trees behind which can be seen a large orchard and field in which a man is working, a village filled with buildings and houses in the background, under a bright sky

    View of Arles, Flowering Orchards, April 1889. Neue Pinakothek, Munich

Vincent van Gogh's Wheat Fields

Van Gogh went outside the city of Arles to paint harvests. He was fascinated by wheat fields. He painted many scenes of them.

  • An expansive painting of a wheatfield, with green hills through the centre underneath dark and forbidding skies.

    Wheatfield Under Thunderclouds, 1890, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • A bright squarish painting of a wheatfield, a river, houses, mountains and the rising sun.

    Enclosed Wheat Field with Rising Sun, May 1889, Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands

  • A squarish painting of a wheatfield in a dense pouring rain.

    Rain or Enclosed Wheat Field in the Rain, November 1889, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia

  • A squarish painting of a darkened wheatfield of stacks, with a river and mountains in the background under a rising full moon.

    Wheat Fields, early June 1889. Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo

  • A squarish painting of a wheatfield, in the afternoon, with landscape and a white house in the background.

    Wheat Field at Auvers with White House, June 1890, The Phillips Collection, Washington D.C.

The Van Gogh Museum

Weesp and Amsterdam (Netherland, June 2020) - 7 (50550627911)
The Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Van Gogh's nephew, also named Vincent Willem van Gogh, started working on a museum in 1963. The Van Gogh Museum opened in Amsterdam in 1973. It became the second most popular museum in the Netherlands. It gets over 1.5 million visitors each year. In 2015, it had a record 1.9 million visitors. Most visitors come from other countries.

Images for kids

  • Vincent Willem van Gogh 016

    Rooftops, View from the Atelier The Hague, 1882, private collection

  • Vincent van Gogh - Farm with stacks of peat - Google Art Project

    Farm with Stacks of Peat, 1883

  • Van-willem-vincent-gogh-die-kartoffelesser-03850

    The Potato Eaters, 1885. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

  • Vincent van Gogh - Worn Out (F997)

    Worn Out, pencil on watercolour paper, 1882. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

  • Stilleven met bijbel - s0008V1962 - Van Gogh Museum

    Still Life with Open Bible, Extinguished Candle and Novel, also Still Life with Bible, 1885. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

  • Vincent van Gogh - Head of a skeleton with a burning cigarette - Google Art Project

    Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette, 1885–86. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

  • Vincent van Gogh - Peasant woman digging

    Peasant Woman Digging, or Woman with a Spade, Seen from Behind, 1885. Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto

  • Toulouse-Lautrec de Henri Vincent van Gogh Sun

    Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Portrait of Vincent van Gogh, 1887, pastel drawing, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

  • John Peter Russell Van Gogh drawings

    John Russell drew these five studies of Van Gogh a year or so after painting his 1886 portrait (studies, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney)

  • Vincent van Gogh - Windmills on Montmartre - Google Art Project

    Le Moulin de Blute-Fin (1886) from the Le Moulin de la Galette and Montmartre series'. Bridgestone Museum of Art, Tokyo (F273)

  • Van Gogh - la courtisane

    Courtesan (after Eisen), 1887. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

  • Van Gogh - Portrait of Pere Tanguy 1887-8

    Portrait of Père Tanguy, 1887. Musée Rodin, Paris

See Also

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