Vincent Van Gogh

During yesterday critical thinking lesson, we discussed about a few famous artists of all time. Leonardo Da Vinci, Buonarroti Michelangelo, Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh. However, later on, we focused mainly on Vincent Van Gogh. Before yesterday, I knew little about these artists, in fact, I know nothing about their history background, just sort of heard of their name once or twice. From yesterday lesson, we studied the work of Van Gogh. According to the history, his life is kinda like a tragedy. He was someone who suffered from mental illnesses. He managed to sell only one painting when he was alive. This caused him to face financial difficulties where he later on depended on his brother, Theo. This was mainly because many people at that time couldn't accept his work. However, he was determined in his art. He strongly believed that one had to first master drawing before adding colour to it. He used to paint everything in dark and dull colour. Dark as in really dark. It was like his paintings were all strongly shadowed due to the fact that he uses only really dark colours. However, there's a point in his life where he changed his style of painting drastically, from extreme dark colours, he began to use bright and vivid colours. His paintings was then focused on nature and landscapes.

His failures in his career and romance had caused him to experience extreme emotion. However, he was once determined in studying art, hoping to be able to give happiness by creating beauty. Yet, his partnership was once again disastrous, lowering his self confidence, despite his already minimally sufficient self confidence. Due to his mental illness, which caused him to experience extreme emotion, which mean when he's happy, he became extremely joyful, however, when he's sad, he goes into depression. Experiencing both extreme ends. One of his tragic story was, once when he was very drunk, he cut off a portion of his ear lobe. Ouch... Finally, at the age of 37, he killed himself by shooting himself in the chest. Reading all these unfortunate events that happened to him, I try to comprehend his work of art. Though, it was not easy to read his works. He painted not only nature and landscapes, he also painted many portraits of strangers that he have met. During the time of his living, few appreciated his art, yet till the day he die, he believes in his work. From the letter that he wrote to his brother, his brother then wrote a letter to his sister, a week after his death,

“In the last letter which he wrote me and which dates from some four days before his death, it says, “I try to do as well as certain painters whom I have greatly loved and admired.” People should realize that he was a great artist, something which often coincides with being a great human being. In the course of time this will surely be acknowledged, and many will regret his early death.”

It is evident that he is indeed a great artist. His paintings now worth millions compared to the first painting that he sold for only 400 francs.

Only until yesterday that I came to know that, the song "Vincent" that I've been listening to throughout the whole last year, it was actually a song on this Vincent, Vincent Van Gogh. Now, that I came to know about him, this song brings a whole different meaning and feeling. It became a really deep and touching song.