Vincent van Gogh

Vincent Willem van Gogh

Self-portrait (1886).

Born: March 30, 1853
Zundert, Netherlands
Died: July 29, 1890
Auvers-sur-Oise, France
Occupation: Painter

There is pain in beauty and beauty in pain. Vincent van Gogh personified this. He left behind a egacy of beautiful paintings though his life was wrought with conflicts and sadness.

His notable works include among others

Sunflowers (1888)












Bedroom in Arles (1888)













Cafe Terrace at Night (1888)

















Starry Night (1889)






The Starry Night is one of the best known paintings by
Dutch post-impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh, and is
in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in
New York City. This oil-on-canvas painting measures 73 x 92 cm.

Created by Van Gogh while he was in the asylum at Saint Rémy
de Provence in June 1889, the painting portrays a swirling
skyscape filled with yellow glowing stars above a small town
and rolling hills. The large dark formation in the foreground
left of center has been described as the tip of a tree,
although art historians have presented various other
interpretations. Its purpose seems to be to direct the eye
towards the sky. In addition, it adds depth to the painting.
A church steeple in the town also points towards the sky.

The painting was the inspiration for Don McLean's song,
Vincent, which is also known as Starry, Starry Night.


The Red Vineyard (1888) was the only painting the Dutch
painter sold during his lifetime. It was sold for only 400 Francs
(USD 68 today). It is now in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow.















Van Gogh began suffering mental problems later part of
his life and was admitted to a psychiatric centre.

Late Sunday evening December 23, 1888, Vincent Van Gogh,
then 35 years old, cut off the lower half of his left ear
and took it to a brothel, where he asked for a prostitute
named Rachel and handed the ear to her, asking her to
"keep this object carefully."

Why Did Van Gogh Cut Off His Ear? More than a dozen different
explanations of his actions have been proposed.

His depression deepened, and on July 27, at the age of 37,
Van Gogh shot himself in the chest. Without realising that
he was fatally wounded, he returned to the Ravoux Inn,
where he died two days later, with Theo (his brother)
at his side, who reported his last words as
"La tristesse durera toujours" (French for "the sadness
will last forever").

Van Gogh's fame grew shortly after his death. Large
exhibitions were organized in Paris (1901), Amsterdam (1905),
Cologne (1912), New York City (1913) and Berlin (1914).

Van Gogh's life forms the basis for Irving Stone's biographical
novel Lust for Life (later turned into a film).

In 1972, singer Don McLean wrote the ballad "Vincent", also
known as "Starry Starry Night" in honour of Van Gogh, later
sang by Josh Groban in 2002. The punk band NOFX has also
covered this song on a rarities and b-sides double album.
In 1986-87, the composer Einojuhani Rautavaara wrote an opera,
Vincent, based on several events in Van Gogh's life, and also
later used some of the same themes in his 6th symphony,
"Vincentiana."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh#Life_and_work

Here I present the lyrics to "Vincent", one of the most
beautiful songs of all time.

Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)
- Josh Groban version

Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and grey
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colours on the snowy linen land

Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now

Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds and violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colours changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artists' loving hand

Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now

For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left inside
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

Like the strangers that you've met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
The silver thorn of bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow

Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They're not listening still
Perhaps they never will...


Notes: Original Lyrics and Music by Don McLean.
Produced and Arranged by: David Foster