Biography

Vincent originally had no intention to become a painter. As the eldest son, Vincent was expected to help provide for the family by following one of the professions within the family: preaching the faith like his father or becoming an art dealer like his uncle. He attempted both professions for a while, but found that he could not live without art.

With his brother’s encouragement and support (both morally and financially), Vincent was able to set his focus on painting. Traveling across the Netherlands, France, and part of Belgium, as well as working alongside contemporaries like Paul Gauguin and Émile Bernard, Vincent created over 2000 artworks.

But his genius wasn’t without adversity. Only one of Vincent’s paintings was sold in his lifetime and he suffered through poverty, sickness, and severe depression. In the year leading up to his death, he created 860 paintings before committing suicide at the age of thirty-seven.