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Vincent Van Gogh Biography
Artist
A 19th-century painter, Van Gogh is almost as famous for his mental instability as for his vivid paintings. His career as an artist lasted only 10 years and coincided with frequent bouts of depression and anguish; in a famous 1888 incident he slashed off his left earlobe with a razor. He is closely associated with the town of Arles in the south of France, where he created many of his greatest paintings. Among his best-known works are The Potato Eaters (1885), Starry Night (1889), and Irises (1889). He died in Auvers, France two days after shooting himself in the chest with a pistol.
Extra credit: Van Gogh collected drawings by American cartoonist Thomas Nast.
Other artist include Pablo Picasso, Grandma Moses, Salvador Dali and Frida Kahlo.
Blog posts mentioning Vincent Van Gogh:
Four Good Links
The Vincent Van Gogh Information Gallery
All his paintings and drawings, nicely catalogued, plus related information and Web links
Genius Ignored: Vincent Van Gogh
Chapter from a larger book on geniuses; nice colorful detail on Van Gogh's life
Vincent Van Gogh Museum
A virtual tour that requires some perseverance to enter
Vincent Van Gogh
Biography, bibliography and some of his works
Vital Stats
Birth
Birthplace
Death
29 July 1890
(self-inflicted gunshot, age 37)
Best Known As
The marvelous painter who cut off his own earlobe