author
Vincent van Gogh
1853–1890
A restless, deeply original artist, he transformed ordinary rooms, fields, and night skies into some of the most recognizable images in the world. In just over a decade, his bold color and emotional intensity helped shape modern art.
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About the author
Born in Zundert in the Netherlands on March 30, 1853, Vincent van Gogh tried several paths before deciding to become an artist at about age 27. He worked intensely and quickly, creating paintings, drawings, and letters that reveal both his ambition and his constant search for meaning.
His style changed dramatically over time. Early works such as The Potato Eaters are dark and earthy, but after moving to Paris and later to Arles in southern France, his art became brighter, more vivid, and more experimental. Paintings like Sunflowers, The Bedroom, and The Starry Night are now among the best-known works in Western art.
Van Gogh struggled with his mental health for much of his adult life and spent time in hospitals, including the asylum at Saint-Rémy. He died in Auvers-sur-Oise, France, on July 29, 1890, at just 37. During his lifetime he was not widely famous, but his work later became enormously influential, and his letters—especially those to his brother Theo—remain an important window into his life and mind.