Vincent Van Gogh

Starry Night (http://www.vangoghgallery.com/catalog/images/mid/s (Vincent van Gogh))

  Who knew that a boy with no idea of how his future looked would end up as one of the most famous artists in the world? Vincent van Gogh, a Dutch painter, was born to Reverend Theodorus van Gogh and Anna Cornelius Carbentus in 1853. Out of the five siblings he had, his brother Theo was the most important person in his life. While working in a gallery with his uncle, he was introduced to art. Vincent held dedication and influence. Therefore, that made him a hero.

The Bearers of the Burden (http://www.vangoghgallery.com/catalog/Drawing/1177 (Vincent van Gogh))

     Dedication is essential in doing what you want to do, especially when you have support from people that believe in you. Van Gogh did what he wanted with his life because he was dedicated to become an artist. "He taught himself perspective, proportion, and human anatomy by copying old master drawings (Stolwijk, Chris)." Vincent was dedicated because he taught himself what he needed to know when he found out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. His newfound knowledge about the basics of art led him to draw The Bearers of the Burden in 1881. Vincent had much support from his brother, Theo. "Theo, after all had had a long and complex relationship with Vincent--believing in his work, supporting him financially, enduring his bizarre outbursts, struggling to get him competent care (Harmon, Melissa Burdick)." Vincent was determined to be an amazing artist because he had all kinds of support from his brother, Theo. He did all he could to support Vincent by sending him money and believing in what he did. Van Gogh was dedicated to his art, so he did all he could to improve not only his paintings and drawings, but himself too.

Self portrait (http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/gogh/self/ (Vincent van Gogh))

     Vincent was influential because he did what he thought was best for himself and others. Such as the time when "Van Gogh exhibited the zeal and devotion of a martyr, even giving away his clothes, but his eccentricities alienated the miners, and he was dismissed in July 1879. This period was a dark one for Van Gogh. He wished to give himself to others but was constantly being rejected (Vincent Van Gogh)." He did much for others with nothing in return, but what he did for them was not enough, so he turned to art as an outlet. Turning to art did not bring him out of this dark time completely, but it helped him feel less enraged. Doing things for himself was essential because he could not depend on his brother all the time. "It didn't matter. He had a new obsession. He had decided to become a minister like his father (Harmon, Melissa Burdick)." After being rejected once again by a woman who was secretly engaged, he fell into a deep depression and his love turned to religion. He tried out religion to see if his future would be like his father's. Trying out something new was good because he was already facing rejection continuously. Vincent was influential because he did what he thought was best for himself and others.

      I consider Vincent van Gogh a hero because he was dedicated and influential. He inspires me and others because his artwork is powerful and magnificent. He wasn't a normal person; he was a person that suffered from depression and illness, and turned to art for his own personal haven.

Works Consulted

Harmon, Melissa Burdick. "Vincent Van Gogh: Blazing Genius, Tormented Soul." Biography 7.2 (2003): 84. Biography

     Reference Center. Web. 31 Jan. 2013.

McConnell, C. S., and McConnell C. S. "Vincent Van Gogh." Great Lives From History: The Nineteenth Century (2007): 1.

     Biography Reference Center. Web. 31 Jan. 2013.

Pioch, Nicolas. "Gogh, Vincent Van." WebMuseum:. WebMuseum, 19 Aug. 2002. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.

Stolwijk, Chris. "Van Gogh, Vincent." Europe 1789-1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of Industry and Empire. Ed.John Merriman

     and Jay Winter. Vol. 5. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2006. 2399-2402. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 31 Jan.

     2013.

Gogh, Vincent Van." Britannica Biographies (2012): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 31 Jan. 2013.