Contents

Vincent van Gogh
Painting The Starry Night and Sunflowers.
Post-Impressionism · Expressive brushwork
- Born
- 30 March 1853
- Birthplace
- Zundert, Netherlands
- Died
- 29 July 1890
More people
Vincent van Gogh
A Dutch painter whose intense colours and animated brushstrokes turned everyday subjects into emotionally charged images.
Early life
Minister’s family
Grew up in Zundert, where his father was a Protestant minister.
Different paths
Worked in art dealing and pursued religious work before becoming an artist.
Career
- 1880s
Full-time art
Committed himself to drawing and painting.
- 1886
Paris
Encountered artists experimenting beyond Impressionism.
- 1888
Arles
Moved to southern France and developed a brighter palette.
- 1889
Saint-Rémy
Continued painting while receiving care in an asylum.
Selected work
The Potato Eaters
A dark-toned scene of a peasant meal.
Sunflowers
Still lifes made during his Arles period.
The Starry Night
A swirling nocturnal landscape painted at Saint-Rémy.
Beyond work
Brotherly support
His brother Theo provided financial and emotional support.
Letters
Their correspondence records his artistic thinking and daily struggles.
Sources & photo credit
Biographical reference ↗MoMA: The Starry Night ↗Photo: Vincent van Gogh. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.