Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890) was a painter associated with the Post-Impressionist movement, and best known for his portraits and depictions of cypresses and wheat fields. Before becoming a painter, Van Gogh worked as an apprentice at his uncle’s art dealership, where he learned about the Old Masters and Contemporary painting, and as a lay preacher in Belgium. At the age of 27, Van Gogh decided to devote himself to painting, and traveled to the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels to study anatomy and physiognomy. He collected and copied prints, especially those by
Jean François Millet (French, 1814–1875),
Honoré Daumier (French, 1808–1879),
Eugène Delacroix (French, 1798-1863), and
Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669).
Van Gogh was also inspired by the linearity, flat areas of color, and flattened perspective found in Japanese
ukiyo-e woodcuts. His first major work,
The Potato Eaters (1885), reflects his interest in painting peasants after the manner of
Jules Breton (French, 1827-1906). Van Gogh moved to Paris in 1886, and became acquainted with the work of Impressionist painters through his brother Theo, who organized exhibitions of these artists. Van Gogh's series of flower still lifes show the influence of
Georges Seurat's (French, 1859-1891) Pointillist technique, which prompted him to work in a lighter palette and use more rhythmical, expressive brushwork. In 1888, Van Gogh moved to Arles in the south of France and made a series of pen-and-ink drawings, portraits of locals, and sunflowers, which he hoped would convince
Paul Gauguin (French, 1849–1903) to join him. One of Van Gogh's most famous works,
Starry Night (1889), exemplifies his unique expressionistic style. Today, his work is held in several permanent collections, including the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.