On March 30, 1853, a boy named Vincent Van Gogh was born in the village of Zundert, located on the border between Belgium and the Netherlands.
Born into a family devoted to religious service, the family atmosphere was reportedly rigid and cold. Perhaps this perception was also influenced by the dark, rainy weather typical of Northern Europe.
Despite the many restrictions at home, Vincent often found solace in books and was frequently drawn to painting. Here is a picture he drew at the age of 9. Remarkable for a child of that age, capturing moments so vividly.
Dog (1862)
His parents, who had social standing and financial means, sent him to a boarding school in 1864 when he was 11 years old. At 13, he left home to attend middle school in Tilburg.
However, after middle school, economic circumstances forced him to return home to support the household. At around 16, in 1869, he started working at his uncle's art dealership, Goupil & Cie. The business thrived and expanded to London, so in 1873, Vincent moved to the London branch.
With a stable income, Vincent found himself with more leisure and began to take an interest in women. At the age of 20, he confessed his feelings to Eugenie Lyer, the daughter of the boarding house owner, who had caught his eye for some time.
However, she rejected him. Vincent, who thought she was single, was devastated to learn she was already engaged to another man. Overcome with anger, shame, and embarrassment, Vincent withdrew from the outside world and immersed himself in religion.
This marked the beginning of a series of unfortunate events.
Old woman asleep after rops (1873)
His uncle and father, after much deliberation, decided to send him to the Paris branch. However, Vincent was so absorbed in religion that he neglected his work and was soon dismissed. Seeking solace in the Bible, he translated verses and filled the margins of his notes with drawings.
Vicarage and church at Etten (1876)
In 1877, at the age of 24, his parents, concerned for his well-being, sent him to his theologian uncle to help him enter a seminary.
This led to Vincent working as a missionary in a Belgian coal mine from January 1879. However, Vincent gave his provided lodgings to a homeless person and lived in a small hut, using straw as a blanket.
Vincent's generosity was genuine, offering his accommodations to the homeless. It seemed like a true act of religious compassion. But the church didn't see it that way and accused Vincent of undermining the dignity of the ministry, eventually dismissing him.
Coalmine in the Borinage (1879)
In less than a year, Vincent was let go. Having worked without pay, he was left penniless. He walked over 300 kilometers from the Petit-Wasmes coal mine in southern Belgium to Etten in the Netherlands because he couldn't afford a carriage or horse. Though he had shown kindness to the homeless, the church abandoned him. Returning home, he was met with cold stares and whispers that he was strange and not in his right mind.
Poor Vincent...
He seemed like a kind soul, but why did everything go so wrong for him?
2024.08.06
