Vincent van Gogh Timeline

Van Gogh’s life was short and nomadic. This is a timeline of his life and the key events.

March 30, 1853

The artist is born in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands. His father is a Protestant pastor.

1869-1875

He begins his career working for the art dealership Goupil & Cie, owned by his uncle, in The Hague. He later transfers to Brussels, London, and Paris. This period fosters his appreciation for art, despite personal and professional challenges. His exposure to the works of Realist painters, including Jean-François Millet, profoundly influences his artistic direction.
Significantly, starting in 1872, he begins corresponding with his younger brother Theo, which becomes crucial for understanding both Van Gogh’s art and psyche.

1876

Van Gogh leaves Goupil & Cie and becomes a school assistant in England, a role that contributes little to his artistic development.

1877-1879

He returns to Amsterdam with intentions to study theology but fails the entrance exam and instead takes informal religious courses. He subsequently moves to Belgium to work as a lay preacher in the Borinage, a coal-mining region, where he is deeply moved by the miners’ harsh conditions and begins to pursue art as his vocation seriously.

Artistic Career 1880-1890

1880

Van Gogh moves to Brussels in October 1880. Supported financially by his brother Theo, he begins earnest studies in art, which marks the commencement of his intense 10-year artistic journey, producing nearly 900 paintings and over 1100 works on paper.

1881

He returns to his parents’ home, then living in Etten, and starts to capture nature scenes through drawings and watercolors.

1882-1883

He relocates to The Hague to work under the mentorship of his cousin Anton Mauve, a significant influence in teaching him basic and essential drawing and painting techniques. This period also sees Van Gogh beginning to experiment with watercolors and oil painting. His first artistic earnings come from a commission by another uncle, featuring everyday townscapes of The Hague.

1884-1885

Living in Nuenen, Van Gogh produces several studies of peasants, culminating in his first large-scale work, “The Potato Eaters.” This piece reflects both the dark palette and the coarse application of paint characteristic of his early style. His subjects often depict the harsh lives of peasants, a theme consistent in his works such as “The Weavers” and “Peasant Woman Cooking by a Fireplace.”
Around this time, he develops an interest in Japanese prints, which significantly influence his later works.

1886-1888

Van Gogh moves to Paris, living with his brother Theo. Here, he encounters the works of Impressionists and Post-Impressionists like Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Gauguin, Georges Seurat, and Paul Signac, which profoundly influence his style. This period is marked by a significant lightening of his palette and adoption of new techniques such as pointillism and broken brushstrokes. He also paints numerous self-portraits, still lifes, and city views during this time.
His fascination with Japanese art deepens, leading him to start a substantial collection of Japanese prints.

February 1888 to May 1889

Seeking a new start, Van Gogh relocates to Arles in the south of France. His 14-month stay is one of the most prolific periods of his career, yielding 200 paintings and over 100 drawings and watercolors. His works from this period include landscapes, the renowned “The Bedroom,” and multiple self-portraits.
His artistic techniques evolve further, incorporating vibrant colors and bold contours, influenced heavily by Japanese prints. His approach becomes increasingly experimental, including techniques like applying paint directly from the tube.
Paul Gauguin joins him but their time together ends abruptly following Van Gogh’s notorious breakdown, during which he mutilates his ear and is subsequently hospitalized.

May 1889 to May 1890

Deteriorating mental health leads Van Gogh to admit himself to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole Asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Over the next year, he remains highly productive, creating over 150 canvases, including “The Starry Night” and “Almond Blossom.”
His work during this period also includes renditions and adaptations of works by Rembrandt, Delacroix, and Millet, which he calls “translations.”

May 1890 to July 1890

Van Gogh moves to Auvers-sur-Oise under the care of Dr. Paul Gachet. In just over two months, he produces around 70 canvases, experimenting with new formats and color schemes.
His financial and critical recognition remains minimal, although he begins to gain some recognition in art circles. This includes a sale at the 1890 exhibition of Les XX in Brussels and his inclusion in the Salon des Indépendants in Paris.

July 27, 1890

Van Gogh shoots himself in the chest, an act that remains a subject of historical debate regarding its circumstances.

July 29, 1890