The Life of An Artist

If we asked you to tell us everything you know about Vincent Van Gogh, we wouldn't be surprised if all you said was "The Starry Night" and "he cut off his ear." While those may be the two most well-known facts about him, there are plenty of other interesting aspects of his life to learn about. Here are 20 of the greatest ups and downs of the tumultuous life of Van Gogh.

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1. He Didn't Always Want To Be An Artist

Despite clearly having a talent for art, Van Gogh didn't initially set out to become a painter. He worked numerous different jobs in his life before settling on his one true career path, including being an art dealer, a school teacher, and even a lay preacher. 

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2. He Started Painting Late

You might think Van Gogh was a prodigy that had a knack for painting early on in his life, but the truth is, he didn't become a professional artist until he was 27. Though that's nowhere near "too old," it did take him a while to discover his true calling. 

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3. He Produced A Ton Of Art

Did you know that during his life Van Gogh produced over 2,000 different pieces of art, spanning from paintings to drawings and sketches? That's a whole lot! 

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4. His Completion Rate Was Insane

And given that he only worked for 10 years, from age 27 to 37 (when he unfortunately took his own life), it's pretty amazing seeing that he completed over 2,000 works. If you do the math, people have been able to calculate a completion rate every 36 hours. Can you imagine finishing a brilliant work of art in just that short amount of time?

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5. Friends With Other Artists

Turns out Van Gogh got buddy buddy with a couple of other artists in his time. It's said that he sent many letters and maintained regular contact with fellow painters like Anthon van Rappard and Paul Gauguin. Sounds nice having friends in the same field!

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6. He Was Inspired By Eastern Art

While he was constantly inspired by Eastern Art, Van Gogh had a particular like for Japanese prints. It really influenced his style and gave him new perspectives on how art could be created. Some have even claimed his most iconic work, The Starry Night, might've been influenced by Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

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7. Unique Tricks To Save Money

Though Van Gogh is one of the most famous painters of our time, he wasn't so rich and wealthy when he was alive. With a rather poor upbringing, he had to find unique ways to save money. From being his own model for portraits to painting over old artworks to save on canvas, he worked with what he had. 

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8. Rumored To Only Sell One Painting In His Lifetime

Despite having numerous paintings hung on gallery walls all across the world, it's believed that Van Gogh only managed to sell one painting in his career. The Red Vineyard, which supposedly sold for 400 francs, was the only one that caught the attention of buyers. 

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9. Didn't Like The Starry Night

With his career looking like a big failure, Van Gogh lost a lot of confidence in his work. Even his most famous, well-known art piece, The Starry Night, was not one he liked. It's sad hearing he couldn't see the beauty behind this painting which is now one of the most recognizable works in history. 

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10. He Had 5 Siblings

You don't hear much about Van Gogh's personal life, but he did have five other siblings. Two brothers and three sisters, only one is recorded to have been his rock throughout all his tough times. His brother Theo is said to have encouraged and supported him even during his darkest days. 

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11. Cut Off His Own Ear

Perhaps the most well-known fact about Van Gogh is that he cut off his left ear. Though we can't say for certain what the situation was like, it's believed that it was the result of an altercation with his friend Paul Gauguin. 

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12. A Self-Taught Genius

A prodigy indeed. Though he took some art lessons from his uncle, many claim that Van Gogh is more or less self-taught. He instead took inspiration from other artists that he admired, learning from their beautiful art pieces and turning them into his own style. 

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13. Fantastic With Languages

It turns out Van Gogh wasn't just talented with a brush, he was great with languages too! Not only was he fluent in English, he could also speak French and Dutch. That's definitely a fun fact that we can admire. 

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14. Went To A Psychiatric Hospital

After multiple breakdowns and a realization that his mental health was deteriorating, Van Gogh admitted himself to a psychiatric hospital in 1889. It's incredibly heartbreaking hearing that this talented man suffered so much emotionally and mentally. 

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15. He Painted Starry Night At The Hospital

We've given the Starry Night multiple shout outs already in this article, but did you know this beautiful art piece was painted in the hospital? Gaining inspiration from the view right outside his window, he was able to craft this masterpiece despite his ongoing struggles and situation. 

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16. No Love

Though it's evident that Van Gogh craved companionship and company, it's sadly been stated that he was single for most of his life. Devoted to his work, he simply wasn't able to find time for love - or he just wasn't lucky. 

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17. A Passionate Writer

Van Gogh wrote letters to his family and friends on a regular basis, most notably to his brother Theo who was his best friend. Many aspects of his life have been uncovered this way thanks to approximately 2,000 letters.

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18. Those Letters Contained Sketches

The letters Van Gogh sent were important for another reason - many contained scribbles and sketches (mostly in pencil but sometimes in color) of ideas he had for paintings. It demonstrates that his art was always well thought out and purposefully planned.

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19. His Highest-Sellling Painting Sold For Millions

Although Van Gogh lived a life of poverty, his paintings are now revered across the globe. One of his pieces, Orchard with Cypresses, sold for a whopping $117 million back in 2022. We wish he was here to see how beloved his works are nowadays. 

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20. Took His Own Life

On July 29, 1890, the world sadly lost one of its greatest artists of all time. Vincent Van Gogh passed away after taking his own life and with his brother at his side. We can only imagine how many other amazing art pieces he would've been able to create. 

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