Having read about and watched movies about Vincent van Gogh, I thought I knew about this difficult artist. It was a shock to learn that Vincent was the 6th child, and first son, of an upper-middle-class Protestant minister and his wife. At 16, he quit school and went to work as an apprentice in the company of Parisian art dealers. Interestingly enough, his brother Theo followed him to the same company but eventually worked in Brussels, while Vincent worked in London.
After Vincent quit working with the art dealers, he had a religious conversion. When he repeatedly failed at getting a ministerial position, his father suggested putting him in a lunatic asylum. That caused a break between father and son. In 1880, Vincent, who was a self-taught artist, moved to Brussels to study under Willem Roelofs.
The story, as told in this book, shows that Vincent had severe mental health issues. One particularly telling comment: "For van Gogh, painting was not an exercise in exploring the magic and mystery of the world but a consolation from the sadness of his life."
Throughout this story, I am in awe of Theo, the younger brother who so lovingly took care of Vincent. Theo must have been devastated when Vincent died, by his own hand, at 37. This is a tragic story, told compassionately.
After Vincent quit working with the art dealers, he had a religious conversion. When he repeatedly failed at getting a ministerial position, his father suggested putting him in a lunatic asylum. That caused a break between father and son. In 1880, Vincent, who was a self-taught artist, moved to Brussels to study under Willem Roelofs.
The story, as told in this book, shows that Vincent had severe mental health issues. One particularly telling comment: "For van Gogh, painting was not an exercise in exploring the magic and mystery of the world but a consolation from the sadness of his life."
Throughout this story, I am in awe of Theo, the younger brother who so lovingly took care of Vincent. Theo must have been devastated when Vincent died, by his own hand, at 37. This is a tragic story, told compassionately.
