Van Gogh Paintings

Van Gogh Paintings tell a story. A story of a sad, misunderstood and tortured man. A story of a man way ahead of his time. A story, which would have remained untold, had the droopy sunflowers and the swirling clouds not told tale. The story of Vincent Van Gogh, the painter.

Son of Anna Cornelia Carbentus and Protestant Minister, Theodorus van Gogh, Vincent Willem Van Gogh,spent most of his early life in Holland.At one point of time he became a preacher until he was dismissed by the church for his excessive zeal in living a Christ-like life of poverty.

His zeal and lust for life took him through a roller coaster journey which ended tragically when he shot himself on July 27 1890.

His period as an artist lasted for the last 10 yrs of his life. He produced all of his work, some 900 paintings and 1100 drawings, during these ten years. He painted his best-known works in the last two years of his life.

His earlier works were charcterized by sombre colors and then he discovered the impressionists (the works of Monet). The mature style of his later works is definitely the influence of impressionism. In fact he is classified as a true Post –Impressionist. In his paintings we see the seeds of the school that lead to abstract painting.

Van Gogh took the concept of impressionism a step further in his works. His striking depiction of landscapes, portraiture and still life using often irreverent techniques and style makes his work stand out. His swirling brush strokes and other innovative techniques ensured that his paintings achieved the status of “visual metaphors”.

His painful yet significant friendship with fellow artist Paul Gauguin produced such works such as The Red Vineyard .

He was acknowledged as the pioneer of what was later to be called expressionism, a style that had incredible influence on 20 th century art, his works are valued at hundreds of millions today. Ironically, he led a life of virtual penury and died unrecognized and uncelebrated.

Vincent Van Gogh Paintings

Van Gogh Paintings are the treasures of our times. The pain that each stroke and swirl of “The Starry Night” oozes can be only rivaled the bright yet saddening yellow of “The Sunflowers”.

The Starry Night (1889)

This Oil Painting on canvas is probably one of the most Famous Paintings of all times. The painting portrays a swirling skyscape filled with yellow glowing stars above a small town and rolling hills. Van Gogh painted it just 13 months before his suicide. The large black formation in the foreground in this painting is a topic of much speculation. Some claim that it's a tip of a tree and others claim that it is a pointer to the sky. This paintings achieves something very rare, it manages to captures the artist's feeling of agitation with quite effortlessly. Van Gogh's immortal words are inevitably associated with this painting.

"Just as we take the train to get to Tarascon or Rouen, we take death to reach a star."

Sunflowers (1888-1889) - Van Gogh Painting

“Sunflowers” is a series of still life paintings that Van Gogh painted between 1888-1889.

The paintings show sunflowers in all stages of life, from fully in bloom to withering. The paintings were innovative for their use of the yellow spectrum.This series was particularly close to Van Gogh's heart. To his dear brother Theo he wrote-“the sunflower is mine in a way”

Wheat Field with Crows (1890) - Van Gogh Painting

Often believed to be his last piece of work, this painting with its disturbing intensity unsettles its viewers.Art interprators believe that it depicts the artists disturbed state of mind. The dark clouds with black crows create are seen as a sign of foreboding.

Vincent Van Gogh's painful story is beautifully told by Don Mac Lean in his song “Starry Starry Night”-

…for they could not love you,
But still your love was true.
And when no hope was left in sight
On that starry, starry night,
You took your life, as lovers often do.
But I could have told you, Vincent,
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you…