The Life of Vincent Van Gogh in 14 Minutes

Summary

Vincent van Gogh, a misunderstood genius during his lifetime, is now celebrated as a Post-Impressionist master. Born in Zundert, he faced rejection and struggled with mental health, yet his passion for art led to iconic works like 'The Starry Night.' Despite his tragic end, van Gogh's legacy endures, influencing future generations and securing his place in art history.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Vincent van Gogh is celebrated as a leading Post-Impressionist painter, despite facing underappreciation during his lifetime.
• 🌱 Born in Zundert, Netherlands, Van Gogh had a quiet and introverted youth, which was heavily influenced by his uncle Cent, an art dealer.
• 🏛️ Van Gogh's early career included working in an art dealership and various jobs before pursuing theology and then art.
• 🖌️ He developed his artistic skills with guidance from Dutch painter Anton Mauve and through self-study, focusing on peasant life and landscapes.
• 💔 Van Gogh's relationship with Clasina Maria Hoornik, known as Sien, was marked by personal and family turmoil, affecting his inheritance and personal life.
• 🌌 His time in Drenthe was brief but peaceful, and in Nuenen, he painted scenes of peasant life, including the renowned 'The Potato Eaters'.
• 🎨 In Antwerp, Van Gogh's health declined due to poor diet, and he was influenced by Impressionist painters and Japanese prints.
• 🌆 Moving to Paris, he interacted with modern artists, adopted a more colorful palette, and developed his unique style, including pointillism techniques.
• 🔪 The infamous incident with Paul Gauguin, involving Van Gogh's ear, remains shrouded in mystery with various theories about what transpired.
• 🏥 Van Gogh's mental health struggles led to hospitalization and asylum stays, where he continued to produce iconic works like 'The Starry Night'.
• ✝️ Tragically, Van Gogh died at 37 from a self-inflicted gunshot, and his brother Theo passed away six months later, both having faced mental health challenges.

Q & A

What significant influence did Vincent van Gogh's uncle have on his life?

Vincent van Gogh's uncle, also named Vincent, secured him an apprenticeship at an art dealership in The Hague and was a significant influence on his life. He treated Van Gogh as a son due to not having any children himself and helped lesser-known Dutch artists at the dealership called Goupil and Co.

How did Van Gogh's experience in London affect his view on life?

In London, Van Gogh's passion for his work deteriorated, and his view on life was darkened when a local girl rejected his attempt at courtship.

What led Van Gogh to pursue theology and work as a missionary?

In 1877, feeling compelled to serve humanity, Van Gogh took up theology before training as an evangelist in Brussels in 1878. After failing to get an appointment, he decided to work as a missionary amongst the impoverished people of the Borinage region of Belgium.

Why was Van Gogh dismissed from his missionary work?

Van Gogh was dismissed from his missionary work because he interpreted the Christian teachings too literally, giving away all his worldly possessions to the poor.

How did Van Gogh's relationship with Clasina Maria Hoornik, also known as Sien, impact his life?

Van Gogh entered into a relationship with Sien, a prostitute in The Hague, and invited her and her daughter to live with him. This relationship led to his exclusion from his Uncle Cent's will due to his uncle's disappointment with Van Gogh's lifestyle choices.

What was the outcome of Sien's life after her relationship with Van Gogh ended?

After leaving Van Gogh, Sien gave her children up to the care of her mother and brother. Despite securing employment as a seamstress and marrying Anton van Wijk in 1901, she drowned herself in the Schelde River in 1904.

What inspired Van Gogh to move to Antwerp and how did his health suffer there?

Van Gogh moved to Antwerp in Belgium in 1885, inspired by new artistic ideas about color. His health suffered as he spent most of his money on paint and canvases rather than proper food, living almost exclusively off bread and coffee, and smoking copious amounts of tobacco.

How did Van Gogh's time in Paris influence his artistic style?

In Paris, Van Gogh was introduced to modern artists and began introducing more color to his paintings, producing still lifes of flowers and striving to develop his own style. He studied and experimented with Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and Japanese printing techniques.

What was the 'Studio of the South' and why did it fail?

The 'Studio of the South' was an artistic community Van Gogh hoped to form in Arles with like-minded artists. It failed when Paul Gauguin, the only artist who agreed to join him, left after an intense argument with Van Gogh, which reportedly led to Van Gogh mutilating his own ear.

What are some theories about the incident where Van Gogh cut off his ear?

There are several theories about the ear-cutting incident. Some believe Van Gogh cut off his own ear in a moment of desperation, possibly related to discovering his brother Theo was engaged. Others suggest Gauguin cut off Van Gogh's ear in self-defense, and they agreed to a self-mutilation story to spare Gauguin from jail. Another theory is that Van Gogh did it to stop tinnitus.

How did Van Gogh's life end, and what happened to his brother Theo after his death?

Van Gogh died at the age of thirty-seven after shooting himself in the chest. His brother Theo, who had been his constant supporter, died just six months later from dementia paralytica, which was then listed as 'heredity chronic disease, overwork, sadness.'

Outlines

00:00

🖼️ Early Life and Struggles of Van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh, a celebrated Post-Impressionist painter, was born on March 30, 1853, in Zundert, Netherlands. As a youth, he was introverted and spent much of his time in the countryside. His uncle, Vincent, got him an apprenticeship at Goupil and Co. in The Hague, where he excelled. However, after being transferred to London, Van Gogh's passion for work waned following a failed courtship. He developed an appreciation for artists like Rembrandt and Millet. Van Gogh's life took many turns as he worked various jobs, studied theology, and served as a missionary. His health suffered due to his selflessness, and he was dismissed from the church for his extreme interpretation of Christian teachings. This led him to pursue art as a means to serve humanity. He studied at the Brussels Academy and moved back to the Netherlands to live with his family and focus on art.

05:06

🌌 Van Gogh's Artistic Journey and Personal Relationships

In pursuit of artistic growth, Van Gogh moved to The Hague to work with landscape painter Anton Mauve. In 1882, he met Clasina Maria Hoornik, known as Sien, with whom he had a complex relationship. Despite his family's disapproval, Van Gogh cared for Sien and her children. His relationship with Sien and the birth of a child named Willem (not his) led to his uncle Cent removing him from his will. Van Gogh's time with Sien ended in 1883, and he moved to Drenthe for solitude before returning to his family in Nuenen. There, he painted scenes of peasant life, including 'The Potato Eaters.' Influenced by Impressionist and Japanese art, he moved to Antwerp and then Paris in 1886 to live with his brother Theo. In Paris, he met modern artists and began to develop his unique style, characterized by vivid colors and broken brushwork.

10:08

💔 Turmoil, Tragedy, and Legacy

In Arles, Van Gogh continued his love for alcohol and produced a series of vibrant paintings, marking his first great period. He attempted to form an artistic community, 'the Studio of the South,' which saw Paul Gauguin join him. Their relationship was tumultuous, culminating in the infamous incident where Van Gogh mutilated his ear, an event shrouded in mystery. Gauguin left, and Van Gogh was hospitalized. His mental health continued to deteriorate, leading to his institutionalization at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, where he painted 'The Starry Night.' Van Gogh's longing for connection with his brother Theo led him to Auvers-sur-Oise, but his despair over his artistic and financial struggles culminated in his suicide. He died at age 37, and Theo passed away six months later. Despite his tragic end, Van Gogh's artwork became legendary, and his sister Anna was able to sell a painting to support their other sister, Willemien, who also faced mental health challenges.

Keywords

💡Post-Impressionist

Post-Impressionism is an art movement that emerged in the late 19th century as a reaction against Impressionism. It is characterized by a more personal expression and a return to more structured, less spontaneous forms than those of Impressionism. In the context of the video, Vincent van Gogh is described as one of the greatest Post-Impressionist painters, indicating his significant role in the movement and his unique style that went beyond the Impressionist focus on capturing light and color.

💡Tortured genius

The term 'tortured genius' refers to a person, often an artist or creative individual, who experiences great emotional or psychological torment, which may be linked to their creative process or the intensity of their work. In the video, Van Gogh is described as a 'tortured genius,' highlighting his struggles with mental health and personal relationships, which are often romanticized as a source of his artistic brilliance.

💡Underappreciated

To be 'underappreciated' means not to receive the recognition, gratitude, or reward that one deserves. The script mentions that Van Gogh was underappreciated in his own time, suggesting that his work did not gain the acclaim it deserved until after his death, which is a common narrative for many artists who achieve posthumous fame.

💡Pop culture

Pop culture refers to the ideas, perspectives, attitudes, images, and other phenomena that are within the mainstream of a society, especially as influenced by the mass media. The video script mentions Van Gogh's presence in modern pop culture, indicating his enduring influence and the various ways in which his life and work have been reinterpreted and celebrated in contemporary media.

💡The Hague

The Hague, or 's-Gravenhage in Dutch, is a city in the Netherlands and the seat of the Dutch government. In the video, it is mentioned as the location of the art dealership where Van Gogh began his career, highlighting the significance of this place in his early professional life and its influence on his development as an artist.

💡Missionary

A missionary is a person sent to do evangelistic or charitable work in a foreign country. The script describes Van Gogh's period as a missionary in the impoverished Borinage region of Belgium, showing a phase in his life where he sought to serve humanity through religious work before fully committing to his artistic career.

💡The Potato Eaters

The Potato Eaters is one of Van Gogh's most famous paintings, created during his time in Nuenen. The video mentions this work as an example of his early focus on peasant life and his realistic style, which contrasts with the more expressive and colorful style he later developed.

💡Impressionism

Impressionism is an art movement characterized by small, thin, visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on light in its changing qualities, and unusual visual angles. The video discusses Van Gogh's transition from the dark palette of his early Dutch period to the brighter colors influenced by Impressionism, which was a significant shift in his artistic style.

💡Paul Gauguin

Paul Gauguin was a French artist who became one of Van Gogh's close friends and artistic collaborators. The video recounts the tumultuous relationship between the two artists, particularly their time living together in Arles, which culminated in the infamous incident of Van Gogh cutting off his own ear.

💡The Starry Night

The Starry Night is one of Van Gogh's most iconic paintings, created while he was at the Saint-Rémy-de-Provence asylum. The video mentions this painting as an example of his continued productivity and artistic brilliance despite his mental health struggles, showcasing his ability to capture the beauty of the night sky in a distinctive and emotive manner.

💡Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. The video script alludes to Van Gogh's health issues, possibly related to syphilis, which affected both his physical well-being and his mental state. It also mentions that his brother Theo suffered from a disease that was then linked to 'heredity chronic disease, overwork, sadness,' which could be a reference to the stigma and misunderstanding surrounding syphilis at the time.

Highlights

Vincent van Gogh is celebrated as a leading Post-Impressionist painter despite being underappreciated during his lifetime.

Van Gogh's life and struggles are deeply embedded in modern pop culture, influencing various forms of art including novels, films, songs, and TV shows.

Born in Zundert, Van Gogh spent his youth in the Dutch countryside, shaping his early affinity for nature.

His uncle, Vincent, played a pivotal role in Van Gogh's life, securing him an apprenticeship at an art dealership and influencing his artistic direction.

Van Gogh's tenure at Goupil and Co. in London marked a period of professional growth but personal disillusionment, including an unsuccessful romantic pursuit.

His passion for art deepened through exposure to masters like Rembrandt and Millet, despite his waning dedication to his work at Goupil and Co.

Van Gogh's varied career included stints as a language teacher, lay preacher, and bookseller, reflecting his quest for purpose.

His commitment to serving humanity led him to theology and missionary work, which were ultimately unrewarding and took a toll on his health.

Van Gogh's artistic journey began in earnest after a series of life setbacks, including a failed missionary role and a broken relationship with his uncle.

He moved back to the Netherlands at 28, immersing himself in drawing scenes of peasant life and labor, indicative of his developing social consciousness.

Anton Mauve, a Dutch landscape painter, became a mentor to Van Gogh, furthering his artistic education and technique.

Van Gogh's relationship with Clasina Maria Hoornik, known as Sien, was complex, marked by mutual care but also by societal disapproval and personal turmoil.

The birth of Sien's son, Willem, and the subsequent rumors of paternity, led to Van Gogh's estrangement from his uncle and the loss of his inheritance.

Van Gogh's time in Drenthe was brief but peaceful, producing a series of letters reflecting his contentment and artistic productivity.

His return to family life in Nuenen was fraught with tension, as his identity as a 'peasant painter' conflicted with his family's social standing.

Inspired by Impressionist and Japanese art, Van Gogh's palette and style evolved significantly during his time in Antwerp and Paris.

In Paris, Van Gogh was part of a vibrant artistic community, which both influenced his work and contributed to his tumultuous personal life.

The infamous incident with Paul Gauguin, including Van Gogh's self-mutilation, remains a mystery with multiple interpretations.

Van Gogh's time at the Saint-Rémy-de-Provence asylum was productive, yielding iconic works like 'The Starry Night'.

His final years were marked by a longing for connection with his brother, financial struggles, and a deepening sense of failure, culminating in his tragic suicide.

The legacy of Van Gogh's work endures, with his paintings later providing financial support for his family, highlighting the posthumous recognition of his genius.

Transcripts

Today, Vincent van Gogh is regarded as one of the  greatest Post-Impressionist painters. Famously a  

tortured genius that was underappreciated in  his own time, Van Gogh features heavily in  

modern pop culture, including in Irving Stone’s  1934 biographical novel and the subsequent 1956  

film starring Kirk Douglas, Don McLean’s 1971  song “Vincent,” Joni Mitchell’s “Turbulent  

Indigo,” Tupac Shakur’s “Starry Night” poem, a  2010 biopic starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and  

even an episode of British sci-fi series Dr. Who. But what do we really know about the life of one  

of the world’s most famous painters? Van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853,  

in the Dutch village of Zundert. As a youth, he  was quiet and introverted, spending most of his  

time in the Dutch countryside. When he was  16, his uncle – also named Vincent – secured  

him an apprenticeship at an art dealership in  The Hague. Uncle Cent, as Van Gogh called him,  

was a partner in the dealership called Goupil and  Co. and was a significant influence on Van Gogh’s  

life. As well as being named after him, it appears  that Cent treated Van Gough as a son due to not  

having any children himself. At the dealership,  Cent helped lesser-known Dutch artists whose works  

he felt were saleable, providing materials  and financial support. At Goupil and Co.,  

Van Gogh showed pride in his and his uncle’s  shared name and excelled in his position as an  

office clerk. When he was twenty, Van Gogh was  transferred to the London branch. In London,  

his passion for the work deteriorated,  and his view on life was darkened when  

a local girl rejected his attempt at courtship. Although his dedication to his work waned, Van  

Gogh was entranced by artwork itself, developing  a deep appreciation for the works of Rembrandt,  

Frans Hals, Jean-Francois Millet, and Camille  Corot. After leaving Goupil and Co., he moved  

from job to job, working as a language teacher and  lay preacher in England and then as a bookseller  

in the Netherlands. In 1877, feeling compelled to  serve humanity, Van Gogh took up theology before  

training as an evangelist in Brussels in 1878.  After failing to get an appointment, he decided  

to work as a missionary amongst the impoverished  people of the Borinage region of Belgium. Van  

Gogh’s health suffered, as he gave most of his  food away to peasants. His teeth began to fall  

out, and he contracted scurvy through the lack  of fresh food. Soon, his faith in the church was  

shaken when he was dismissed for interpreting the  Christian teachings too literally, as he had given  

away all his worldly possessions to the poor. Van Gogh was utterly disheartened by this,  

confiding in an acquaintance: “They think I’m a  madman because I wanted to be a true Christian.  

They turned me out like a dog, saying that I  was causing a scandal.” This setback pushed  

Van Gogh into art, and by 1880, he had decided he  could serve humanity through his creativity. He  

decided to study drawing at the Brussels Academy  before moving back to the Netherlands in 1881. 

By this time, Van Gogh’s family had moved to  Etten, where his father was a vicar at the local  

church. At the age of 28, Van Gogh moved back in  with his family and dedicated himself to becoming  

a full-time artist. Here, he spent several  months drawing local scenes of peasants and  

laborers performing their routine tasks, including  his multi-media drawing Road in Etten. However,  

he soon realized that self-teaching would  only get him so far and that he needed  

the guidance of more experienced artists.  In late 1881, he returned to The Hague to  

work with Dutch landscape painter Anton Mauve. In January 1882, Van Gogh met the only woman he  

would ever live with. Clasina Maria Hoornik,  affectionately known as Sien, worked as a  

prostitute in The Hague when Van Gogh approached  her and asked her to model for his drawings. The  

pair entered into a relationship, and Van Gogh  invited Sien and her five-year-old daughter to  

live with him. Sien had a number of health issues,  including venereal diseases such as gonorrhea and  

syphilis, that she almost certainly passed on to  Van Gogh. In July 1882, Sien gave birth to a boy  

whom she named after Van Gogh, using his middle  name Willem. Although historians unanimously agree  

that the young Willem was not Van Gogh’s son,  the rumors at the time were enough to get Van  

Gogh struck from his Uncle Cent’s will. Cent  had become increasingly disappointed with Van  

Gogh’s lifestyle choices since he had left the  art dealership, and his relationship with Sien  

was most likely the final straw, causing him to  receive no share in his uncle’s estate despite  

previously being hailed as his heir. When Van Gogh’s father learned of the  

relationship, he pressured his son to end the  affair. Despite his family’s disapproval, Van Gogh  

clearly cared for Sien and her children. He wrote  to his brother Theo, professing, “I don’t want her  

to feel abandoned and alone for a moment longer …  I feel a tender love for her and hold her children  

dear.” Van Gogh was worried about Sien, who had  confessed to him that her laziness had led her to  

life as a prostitute and that her life was “bound  to end up with me jumping in the water.” Van Gogh  

wanted to marry Sien, but his brother urged him  to end the relationship. In the fall of 1883,  

Van Gogh left Sien and her children. Alone  and struggling, Sien gave her children up  

to the care of her mother and brother. Despite  securing gainful employment as a seamstress and  

marrying Anton van Wijk in 1901, her prediction of  “jumping in the water” came true in 1904 when she  

drowned herself in the Schelde River. After leaving Sien and The Hague,  

Van Gogh professed a desire to be “alone with  nature” and moved to Drenthe, an isolated part of  

the northern Netherlands. Although he only spent  three months in Drenthe, he wrote twenty-three  

letters detailing the peace and calmness he  felt amongst the picturesque and inspirational  

surroundings. But soon, loneliness and financial  problems drove him to return to his family,  

who were still living in Brabant but had moved to  a new village, Nuenen. Van Gogh found returning  

to his family hard, as he felt he no longer fit  in. He saw himself as a “peasant painter” who did  

not think about his standing in life, whereas  he viewed his family as “people who keep up a  

position.” During his time at Nuenen, he painted  many scenes linked to the life of peasants,  

like landscapes, figures, and still life,  including his famous painting The Potato Eaters. 

Soon, clashes with his family and new artistic  ideas about color inspired by the works of Eugene  

Delacroix, Paolo Veronese, and Peter Paul Rubens  fueled his decision to leave Nuenen and move to  

Antwerp in Belgium in 1885. There, he enrolled at  the Antwerp Academy, but he soon began to find the  

lessons tedious and instead found inspiration in  the Impressionist painters and Japanese prints. 

During his time in Antwerp, his health suffered as  he spent most of his money on paint and canvases  

rather than proper food. He lived almost  exclusively off bread and coffee, smoking  

copious amounts of tobacco to ward off hunger  cravings. Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo,  

telling him he had been to a dentist and had to  have ten teeth removed. Having lost most of his  

teeth, Van Gogh developed a habit of not smiling. He left the Antwerp Academy in 1886 and traveled  

to Paris to live with Theo. In Paris, he met  modern artists such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec,  

Paul Gauguin, Camille Pissarro, Georges Seurat,  and more. He was introduced to the Parisian  

artists by Theo, who had become a prominent art  dealer. Van Gogh quickly discovered that the  

dark palette he had favored in Holland was now  thought of as out of date. He began introducing  

more color to his paintings, producing still lives  of flowers and striving to develop his own style.  

Studying and experimenting with Impressionist,  Post-Impressionist, and Japanese printing  

techniques, Van Gogh began to create a unique  style that would become synonymous with his name. 

While mingling with modern artists in Paris,  he indulged in the lifestyle that came with it,  

drinking copious amounts of wine and his  favorite tipple – absinthe. He often engaged  

in fierce debates about art, usually under the  influence of alcohol, which caused the arguments  

to spiral out of control. Despite his decadent  lifestyle, his artistry improved significantly.  

By the beginning of 1887, he was using a broken  brushwork style reminiscent of pointillism and  

a vivid color pallet. In 1888, he had settled on  his distinctive style and now desired to revisit  

the countryside with his new passion for color, so  in February, he left Paris for southeast France. 

In Arles, he continued his love of alcohol,  although since absinthe was scarce,  

he settled for cheap wine. Over the next year,  he produced beautiful and colorful landscapes,  

still lifes, and portraits. This time is generally  seen as his first great period. He attempted to  

capture a mood rather than just depict what  he saw and worked with speed and spontaneity,  

squeezing the tubes of oil paint directly onto  the canvas. He was now so sure of his own work  

that he confidently told Theo, “When anyone says  that such and such is done too quickly, you can  

reply that they have looked at it too fast.” While living in Paris, he had wanted to form a  

distinct Impressionist group with artists he saw  as having a similar view. In Arles, he hoped to  

realize this dream and invited the likes of  Toulouse-Lautrec and Gauguin to join him in  

forming an artistic community that he planned to  call “the Studio of the South.” In October 1888,  

artist Paul Gauguin agreed to join him, partly as  a favor to Van Gogh’s faithful brother Theo, who  

had decided to represent Gauguin. The two artists  didn’t see eye to eye on the purpose of art,  

and neither were in the best mental or physical  health, as both were suffering from alcoholism and  

syphilis. Perhaps the most notorious incident  of Van Gogh’s life occurred in December. On  

Christmas Eve, the two artists got into an intense  argument, and Van Gogh reportedly chased Gauguin  

with a cutthroat razor before using the blade  to cut off the lobe of his own ear. At least,  

this is what the pair told the police. The  newspapers also ran a story that Van Gogh  

presented his chopped-off ear to a prostitute  in a local brothel. What really happened that  

night has been lost to history, and none of  the eyewitnesses could even agree on how much  

of the ear was dismembered. What is known is  that Gauguin left Van Gogh’s residence, known  

as the Yellow House, shortly after they argued. Gauguin always maintained that he had not seen Van  

Gogh mutilate himself and had left as he had been  attacked. Some historians agree with Gauguin’s  

version of events, holding that he was overwhelmed  by the mental instability of Van Gogh. Others,  

like historians Hans Kaufmann and Rita Wildegans,  postulate that it was actually Gauguin who had cut  

off Van Gogh’s ear while defending himself with  a saber. They suggest that both artists agreed  

to vouch for the self-mutilation story to spare  Gauguin from jail. Van Gogh specialist Martin  

Bailey maintains that Van Gogh did cut off his  own ear, but it was unrelated to the argument with  

Gauguin. Bailey suggests it was more of an act of  desperation after discovering his brother (Theo)  

was engaged. Bailey theorizes that on receiving  this news, Van Gogh feared that his brother’s  

loyal and constant support would wane as he built  a new family life. Some medical historians even  

believe that Van Gogh suffered from tinnitus and  cut off his ear to avoid hearing the ringing. 

However it happened, the result was that Gauguin  left for Paris, and Van Gogh was hospitalized; his  

dreams of an artistic commune were dashed. After  two weeks in the hospital, Van Gogh returned home,  

but it was only a matter of weeks before  his mental health deteriorated again.  

By April 1889, he had requested that he be  institutionalized in the Saint-Rémy-de-Provence  

asylum. While there, he continued to paint.  He produced portraits of his carers and one  

of his most famous pieces, The Starry Night. A year later, Van Gogh longed to see his brother  

again and painted souvenirs of Holland, suggesting  a profound homesickness. He traveled to Paris in  

May 1890 before moving on to the village of  Auvers-sur-Oise, where he once again returned  

to painting pastoral scenes. This peace did not  last long, and soon, he quarreled with his host,  

Paul-Ferdinand Gachet. Van Gogh became  plagued by his inability to succeed as  

an artist and his prolonged financial  dependence on Theo, who now had a son. 

Gripped by despair at his situation, he shot  himself in the chest with a pistol. He was  

found by Theo, still alive, and proclaimed,  “I have shot myself; I only hope I haven’t  

botched it.” He died two days later, at age  thirty-seven, after telling police that “What I  

have done is nobody else’s business. I am free to  do what I like with my own body.” Tragically, Van  

Goghs loyal younger brother died just six months  later. He was diagnosed with dementia paralytica,  

now known to be a disease caused by syphilis,  but the root of the disease was then listed as  

“heredity chronic disease, overwork, sadness.” The causes of Van Gogh’s apparent madness are  

not known and vary from a personality disorder to  epilepsy or neurosyphilis. Van Gogh died thinking  

of himself as a failure, but his body of work  from his short time as an artist has become  

legendary. In 1909, Van Gogh’s sister, Anna, was  able to sell a painting that enabled her to pay  

for their younger sister, Willemien’s, healthcare  as – like Vincent – Willemien struggled with her  

mental health and was institutionalized for forty  years. Anna described the sale of the painting,  

writing, “I remember when Wil got the  painting from Vincent, but what a figure!  

Who would have thought that Vincent would  contribute to Wil’s upkeep in this way?” 

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