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| Vincent van Gogh |
| 1853-1890 |
| European Artist |
| Van Gogh was born in Holland. Deeply spiritual, this son of a Calvinist pastor then became a lay preacher working among miners in Belgium. By 1883 he had started painting. In 1885-86 he attended the academy in Antwerp. On his return to Paris in 1886 he met artists such as Degas, Gauguin and Seurat. During this period he chose to live in the country, and most of his paintings capture his deep affinity for nature. In a realistic style, using dark colors, he depicted the miserable lives of workers and peasants. Later, while living in Paris, Van Gogh discovered Impressionism. His palette grew brighter, his forms became simplified, and his brushstroke became fragmented. His search for light took him to Arles, in Provence. The dazzling colors and bold brushstrokes of his painting made him one of the precursors of Fauvism and Expressionism. Misunderstood as an artist, he was almost unknown during his lifetime. Ironically, his life and his work would make him legendary. |
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