Vincent van Gogh: A tortured genius
By 50Minutes
()
About this ebook
Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch artist who was active during the late 19th century. The primary subjects of his work were landscapes and the realities of rural life, and his paintings often reflected his own state of mind through the use of vibrant colours and curved lines. Van Gogh was an extremely prolific painter and produced around 900 paintings in his lifetime, most of which were completed in his final two years of life. However, it is believed that he only sold one painting during his lifetime, as his unconventional style did not become popular until after his death. Today, his most famous works include The Starry Night and The Sunflowers, and his work is credited with inspiring several later artistic movements, including Fauvism and Expressionism.
In this book, you will learn about:
• The artistic and cultural trends that influenced Van Gogh’s work, including Impressionism, Naturalism and Japonism
• Van Gogh’s most famous works, including masterpieces such as The Starry Night and The Potato Eaters
• The later artistic movements inspired by Van Gogh’s work, such as Fauvism and Expressionism
ABOUT 50MINUTES.COM | Art & Literature
The Art & Literature series from the 50Minutes collection aims to introduce readers to the figures and movements that have shaped our culture over the centuries. Our guides are written by experts in their field and each feature a full biography, an introduction to the relevant social, political and historical context, and a thorough discussion and analysis of the key works of each artist, writer or movement, making them the ideal starting point for busy readers looking for a quick way to broaden their cultural horizons.
Read more from 50 Minutes
Shiatsu for Inner Harmony and Balance: A slice of Japanese tranquillity Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSophrology for Beginners: Simple techniques for relaxation and wellbeing Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAssertiveness Made Easy: Stand up for yourself and communicate more effectively Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow to Get the Guy: Make yourself irresistible Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsYour Guide to Making Friends: Simple tips to expand your social circle Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Beat Bullying at School: Simple steps to put an end to bullying Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGustav Klimt: An icon of fin-de-siècle art Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsÉmile Zola: The father of naturalism Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTake Control of Your Life: Be the protagonist of your own life! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow to Be More Accepting: Hints and tips to strengthen your relationships Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMake Learning Fun!: Effective teaching methods for your child Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Secrets of Better Sleep: Get a great night’s sleep, every night! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIncrease Your Self-Esteem: Learn to be happy in your own skin Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStimulating Your Little One's Mind: Everything you need to help your newborn discover the world Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Conquer Your Jealousy: Banish the green-eyed monster once and for all Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOvercoming Anxiety: How to deal with stress and panic Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMichelangelo: An icon of Western art history Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMake Online Dating Work for You: Tips to build a strong profile and meet great people Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStop Procrastinating - Right Now!: Beat your procrastination habit once and for all Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDealing with Anxiety Attacks: Simple ways of staying calm Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJuggling Romance and Parenthood: How to balance your family and your love life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJane Austen: From humble origins to literary immortality Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrancisco Goya: A true artistic visionary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Vincent van Gogh
Related ebooks
Gustav Klimt: An icon of fin-de-siècle art Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsÉmile Zola: The father of naturalism Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Violet Fairy Book - Illustrated by H. J. Ford Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCezanne Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCamille Pissarro (1830-1903) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEdouard Manet Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDada Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Paint it Blue Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLiving with Vincent van Gogh: The Homes & Landscapes That Shaped the Artist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSensational Modernism: Experimental Fiction and Photography in Thirties America Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInvisible Presence: The Representation of Women in French-Language Comics Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsArkhip Kuindzhi: Selected Paintings Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRunning the City: Why Public Art Matters Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGeorges Seurat and artworks Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMikhail Vrubel. The Artist of the Eves Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHenri Rousseau Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Art Chemica Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPicture Titles: How and Why Western Paintings Acquired Their Names Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSelected Poems: The Essential Gorter - Volume 2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGeorges Seurat: Drawings and Paintings (Annotated) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings100 Paintings: An Artist's Life in New York City Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLooking At Picasso, Altering Cézanne Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Study Guide for E. H. Gombrich's "Art and Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation" Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLa Gare Saint-Lazare, Saint-Lazare Train Station Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMaxime Maufra: 121 Masterpieces Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sophie Taeuber-Arp Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Pelton Papers: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Tallest Tower: Eiffel and the Belle Epoque Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRosa Bonheur Masterpieces in Colour Series Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEnchantment the Art and Life of Lilian Westcott Hale: America's Linear Impressionist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Art For You
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Designer's Dictionary of Color Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Art Models 10: Photos for Figure Drawing, Painting, and Sculpting Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Morpho: Anatomy for Artists Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Draw and Paint Anatomy, All New 2nd Edition: Creating Lifelike Humans and Realistic Animals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Art 101: From Vincent van Gogh to Andy Warhol, Key People, Ideas, and Moments in the History of Art Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Botanical Drawing: A Step-By-Step Guide to Drawing Flowers, Vegetables, Fruit and Other Plant Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Anatomy for Fantasy Artists: An Essential Guide to Creating Action Figures & Fantastical Forms Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lust Unearthed: Vintage Gay Graphics From the DuBek Collection Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Designer's Guide to Color Combinations Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Draw Like an Artist: 100 Flowers and Plants Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Drawing and Sketching Portraits: How to Draw Realistic Faces for Beginners Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Make Your Art No Matter What: Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Complete Papyrus of Ani Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Drawing School: Fundamentals for the Beginner Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World--and Why Their Differences Matter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Oil and Marble: A Novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Shape of Ideas: An Illustrated Exploration of Creativity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Creative, Inc.: The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Electric State Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Vincent van Gogh
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Vincent van Gogh - 50Minutes
VINCENT VAN GOGH
Born: 30 March 1853 in Zundert (Netherlands).
Died: 29 July 1890 in Auvers-sur-Oise (France).
Context: Postimpressionism.
Notable works:
The Potato Eaters (1885), painting
A Pair of Shoes (1886), painting
The Sunflowers (1888), painting
The Sower (1888), painting
The Starry Night (1889), painting
Bedroom in Arles (1889), painting
Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (1889), painting
Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch painter who was greatly influenced by the social upheaval that characterised the 19th century. He was a religious individual who struggled with depression and the challenges of pursuing an unconventional career, and drew inspiration from the work of French realist authors, Dutch painters and the pastoral works of French artist Jean-François Millet (1814-1875) for inspiration. Today, he is remembered both for the genius of his work and for his struggles with his mental health.
Van Gogh found inspiration in both the Impressionist movement and Japonism, but went on to develop a distinctive artistic style that set him apart from other artists who were active at that time. Painting also provided him with an outlet as his mental health deteriorated. In Van Gogh’s work, the subject of the painting is rarely just a simple object: in most cases, it also acts as a reflection of the artist’s subconscious mind. Furthermore, the vibrant colours, frenetic execution and curved lines of Van Gogh’s work paved the way for the rise of two other significant art movements: Fauvism and Expressionism. Although Van Gogh was deeply misunderstood during his lifetime and died in obscurity, his work was nothing less than revolutionary, and truly shaped 20th-century art.
CONTEXT
THE CALM AFTER THE STORM
After a number of uprisings and revolutions earlier in the 19th century, France entered a period of relative economic stability under the Second Empire (1852-1870). Industry was booming and new methods of communication were appearing, along with modern innovations such as railways, banks and department stores. This coincided with the rise of the middle class, and the job market was revitalised by strong economic growth. Furthermore, the 1860s were a period of political liberalisation, as Emperor Napoleon III (1808-1873) granted the right to strike in 1864 as a means of boosting his popularity, and granted parliament the right to interpellation four years later.
However, this era