Van Gogh painted obsessively, lived in poverty, struggled with mental illness, and died unrecognised. Today, his works hang in the world’s top museums and sell for tens of millions. This quiet visit to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam reminded me just how fragile – and powerful – artistic legacy can be.

Van Gogh | Ван Гог | 梵高 | ゴッホ | 반 고흐

He sold almost nothing during his lifetime. Now his paintings are auctioned for millions, printed on mugs, and displayed in packed museums. A visit to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam offers not just a look at the art – but at the myth that grew around the artist.

About Van Gogh’s life

Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch post-impressionist painter, born in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands. Over his lifetime, he created more than two thousand artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, most of which were produced in the last two years of his life.

Van Gogh’s early works were dark and sombre, reflecting the influence of the Dutch masters. This period, known as his Dutch phase, lasted from around 1880 to 1885 and focused on depicting peasant life and the harsh realities of rural existence. His early paintings predominantly used dark, earthy tones such as browns, greys, and muted greens, inspired by the works of artists like Rembrandt and Frans Hals, whom he admired.

In 1886, Van Gogh moved to Paris, where he encountered the works of the Impressionists and Neo-Impressionists. This exposure led to a significant shift in his style. He began to use brighter colours and experimented with more dynamic brushwork, moving away from the dark and sombre tones of his earlier works. This transition marked the beginning of his journey toward the vibrant and expressive paintings for which he is best known.

In 1888, Van Gogh moved to Arles in southern France. His time in Arles was both highly productive and tumultuous, marked by his struggle with mental illness. Despite his illness, he continued to paint, creating some of his most profound work. On July 27, 1890, Van Gogh shot himself and died two days later at the age of 37.

Van Gogh’s emotional struggle

Vincent van Gogh’s emotional and mental health struggles profoundly influenced his life and work. While there is no definitive diagnosis, it is widely believed that he suffered from several mental health issues, including severe depression, bipolar disorder, and possibly borderline personality disorder. He went through prolonged periods of sadness, hopelessness, isolation, and complete withdrawal from social life. During these episodes, he often stopped painting or wrote about feeling useless, a burden, or emotionally paralysed. In some letters to his brother, he expressed deep despair and a sense that his efforts had no meaning or impact. His behaviour also included sudden shifts in mood and energ. He would go through intense bursts of creative activity – sometimes painting a dozen works in just a few weeks – followed by equally intense crashes, where he became exhausted, anxious, or withdrawn. He intensevely feared abandonment, his relationships were instable and his emotional reactions he brought to extreme.

Van Gogh’s mental health issues became apparent in his early adulthood. Mental illness ran in his family, suggesting a genetic predisposition. Additionally, his financial instability, professional frustrations, and tumultuous personal relationships added significant stress to his life. Van Gogh’s use of alcohol, particularly absinthe, may have further exacerbated his mental health issues.

One of the most well-known episodes in Vincent van Gogh’s life was the ear-cutting incident, which followed a heated argument with his friend and fellow artist, Paul Gauguin, who had come to stay with him in Arles. Van Gogh and Gauguin first met in Paris, where they were part of the avant-garde art scene. They shared a common interest in new approaches to art. Van Gogh appreciated Gauguin’s bold use of colour and symbolic content, while Gauguin respected Van Gogh’s emotive use of colour and dynamic brushwork.

Gauguin arrived in Arles in October 1888, and the two artists initially worked side by side, discussing and influencing each other’s work. However, significant differences in their artistic visions and temperaments soon emerged. Van Gogh’s intuitive and emotional approach to painting clashed with Gauguin’s more methodical and symbolic style. Living together in close quarters exacerbated their personal differences, and Van Gogh’s mental health issues, including bouts of depression and erratic behaviour, further strained the relationship. The tension culminated in a heated argument on December 23, 1888. That night, after Gauguin threatened to leave, Van Gogh experienced a severe mental breakdown and cut off part of his own left ear. This dramatic event led to Gauguin’s immediate departure from Arles. The exact details of the argument are not fully known, but it is believed to have been intense and emotionally charged. Vincent later created several self-portraits that depicted his bandaged ear, reflecting on this traumatic event. These works are among his most famous. Following the ear incident, Van Gogh and Gauguin never saw each other again. However, they continued to correspond sporadically, maintaining a distant but respectful relationship.

After the ear incident, Van Gogh was hospitalised multiple times. He voluntarily admitted himself to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in 1889. During his time there, he continued to paint, producing some of his most famous works, despite experiencing frequent episodes of psychosis.

The reception of van Gogh’s work

Van Gogh’s work, initially not well received, gained widespread acclaim only after his death. He often struggled financially, which influenced his work and methods. Due to his limited resources, he sometimes couldn’t afford to pay for models. As a result, he painted numerous self-portraits. Van Gogh created over 30 self-portraits between 1886 and 1889. These self-portraits are not only a study of his own image but also an exploration of different techniques and styles, allowing him to practise without incurring additional costs.

In addition to his self-portraits, Van Gogh would often paint on both sides of the canvas to save money. This practice allowed him to make the most of his limited materials. Some of his paintings hence have another work hidden on the reverse side, which has been discovered through modern technology such as X-ray imaging.

Theo van Gogh, Vincent van Gogh’s brother, played a crucial role in his life and career. Theo provided Vincent with regular financial support, which allowed him to buy art supplies and cover basic living expenses. The brothers maintained a close and deeply supportive relationship, primarily through their extensive correspondence. Theo was an art dealer in Paris, which exposed him to the contemporary art scene. He introduced Vincent to new artistic movements and influential artists, significantly impacting Vincent’s style and techniques. Theo was a tireless advocate for Vincent’s art. He promoted his brother’s work within his professional network, helping to arrange exhibitions and attempting to sell his paintings. Despite these efforts, Vincent achieved little commercial success during his lifetime. After Vincent’s death, Theo continued to promote his brother’s work, helping to secure his posthumous fame. Tragically, Theo died just six months after Vincent, in January 1891, but his efforts were crucial in ensuring that Vincent van Gogh’s artistic legacy endured.

After the deaths of Vincent and his brother Theo, it was Theo’s widow, Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, who played a pivotal role in bringing Vincent’s work to the world’s attention. She inherited Vincent’s paintings and letters, and devoted herself to promoting his art and legacy. Johanna organised exhibitions of Vincent’s work and published his letters, which helped to reveal the depth and passion of his artistic vision. These exhibitions were crucial in introducing his work to a broader audience. 

One of the first major exhibitions of Van Gogh’s work was held in Paris, receiving significant attention from both critics and the public. It was organised by Ambroise Vollard, a prominent art dealer in Paris, known for his support of Post-Impressionist artists. As an influential dealer, Vollard had the connections and reputation to attract collectors and critics to the exhibition, significantly boosting Van Gogh’s posthumous fame. 

Vincent van Gogh’s paintings remain some of the most expensive and desirable artworks in the world. Notable sales include “Portrait of Dr. Gachet,” which sold for $82.5 million in 1990, “Laboureur dans un champ,” which fetched $81.3 million in 2017, and “Irises,” sold for $53.9 million in 1987. Other significant sales are “L’Allée des Alyscamps,” which went for $66.3 million in 2015, and “Landscape Under Stormy Sky,” sold for $54 million in 2021.

These high prices reflect the legacy and universal appeal of Van Gogh’s artistic vision. He painted in solitude, struggled in silence, and left behind a legacy that would only be recognised long after his death. Today, his life is as closely examined as his brushstrokes. Visiting the museum in Amsterdam, and reading about the prices his work now commands, it’s hard not to think about how easily genius can be overlooked. Still, much of what we know and admire today is thanks to Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, his brother Theo’s widow, who preserved his letters, promoted his paintings, and quietly shaped the image of the artist we now recognise.