Van Gogh and Impressionism
Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Dutch artist who focused his works on Post-Impressionism. His early life works depicted somber colors but this all changed when he encountered Impressionism and Neo-impressionism when he was in Paris. Using the bright colors often found in Impressionist paintings, he developed his own style. Out of this style, he made about 2,000 works (900 paintings and 1,100 sketches and drawings).
Yellow is the most distinct color of Van Gogh’s paintings. There is a theory that this is so because absinthe (his favorite liquor) causes objects in one’s vision to turn yellow.
The most prominent Van Gogh paintings are the ones that he made during the last two years of his life. Some have speculated that his queer behavior over these last two years have reflected on his works. Some of his most bizarre behavior includes cutting off his own ear when his friendship with Paul Gauguin broke down. Soon after, he also suffered from recurring mental illness. This led to his suicide in July 29, 1890.
20th century art has been strongly influenced by Van Gogh. Fauves and German expressionists looked up to him as the forerunner of this form of art. Nowadays, he is a revered artist—no painter or art collector would be considered as such without knowing any of his works.