Van Gogh is remembered for his striking use of color, emphatic brushwork, and impressive forms of contour in art. Are you looking torecreate some of Van Gogh's art ? You'll be happy to know that this is made easy with the help ofpaint by numbers Van Gogh kits.Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most well-known painters who ever lived. He has left a lasting impact on theworld of art The story of Van Gogh's life is a compelling one, however tragic. He’s taught many of us not to be afraid of failure or rejection. To persevere no matter how hard it gets, and to stay true to our vision.
It’s no wonder why all love him. Hispaintings remain one of the most well-recognized and expensive pieces of work known today.
Paint by Numbers Van Gogh: A Brief History of His Life
Today, we’ll be revisiting Van Gogh’s genius: his life,famous works , and his last few months on Earth.Early Life and Family (1853 - 1873)
Van Gogh was born to upper-middle-class parents in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands, in 1853. Van Gogh’s father was an austere country minister. His mother was a moody artist who loved nature,drawing , and watercolors.Her love inpaintings is what inspired little Van Gogh to become an artist himself.
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Life In England (1876)
Van Gogh began towork at an art dealership in Southampton Street, London, when he was about 20 years old. After a failed career in art, he took a job as an assistant teacher at a school in Ramsgate.Finding Solace in Art (1885)
A couple of years later, Van Gogh proceeded to work as a missionary in a mining region in Belgium. There, he worked on his first major painting,The Potato Eaters , in 1885. He was 32, then.The Downfall of Van Gogh’s Mental Health (1888)
In 1888, during his stay in Arles, he became friends with a painter by the name ofPaul Gauguin. He significantly admired him and desperately wanted to be treated as his equal. But, Gauguin was arrogant and domineering, which often caused them to quarrel about art.Van Gogh's illness began revealing itself when tempers flared with Gauguin. In a fit of mania, several breakdowns, and "excessive tension," he hacked off most of his left ear with a razor.
He was taken to the hospital after he was found unconscious the next morning by a police officer. Van Gogh awoke to have no memory of what had happened the night before.
Paintings and Beyond (1888 - 1890)
Due to his episode, and several after, many started calling Van Gogh the "Mad Artist." This was a crude oversimplification of his severe mental health issues.Van Gogh suffered eight attacks until shooting himself in the chest in a wheat field in a bout of depression. This was where he painted his final work "Wheatfield with Crows ."
Best Paint by Numbers Van Gogh - Chronological Order
With everypainting Van Gogh made, there comes a story. Below are some of the best Van Goghpaint by number kits available to be purchased today.Cafe Terrace at Night: Arles, France; September 1888
[amazon box="B07K8GT2FV"]Café Terrace at Night was the first of a series ofpaintings in which Van Gogh used starry backgrounds. Among the series is the ever famous "Starry Night ," and “Starry Night over the Rhone .”
Depicting a colorful, brightly lit cafe, Café Terrace at Night paints a relaxed vision of the charm of his surroundings. The café sits under the dark blue night sky illuminated with myriad bright stars.
The café in thepainting still exists today. In his honor, it was renamedCafé Van Gogh .
Starry Night Over The Rhone: Arles, France; September 1888
[amazon box="B08B63VQMQ"]Starry Night Over the Rhone was Van Gogh's view of the Rhone River from his apartment in Place Lamartine.
Starry Night Over the Rhone immortalizes a happier time in Van Gogh's life. In a letter written toEugene Boch in 1888, he writes that his new home had a "cheerful" atmosphere.
Under the bright, starlit sky under the Rhone riverside, Van Gogh paints two lovers out for an enjoyable evening stroll. He didn't specifically show whether the two were married, or the gender. He left it up to the viewer to interpret the rest of thepainting .
Sunflower: Arles, France; January 1889
[amazon box="B06XSSRCBZ"]Considered to be one of Van Gogh’s greatest works, Sunflower depicts apainting of sunflowers in all stages of life , from full bloom to withering.
Because of Van Gogh's use of the yellow spectrum, withthree shades of yellow ‘and nothing else’, many deem Sunflower one of his most innovative works.Van Gogh was able to prove that it was indeed possible to create an image with variations of a single color while keeping its beauty and eloquence.
Paul Gauguin , a friend of Van Gogh who received two of his Sunflowerpaintings , had commented that the work was "completely Vincent.”
Van Gogh's subject use ofcolor has proven to be quite influential on today's modern art and continues to speak directly to artists worldwide.
Irises: Saint Remy, France; May 1889
[amazon box="B07B8MQLXJ"]Van Gogh voluntarily admitted himself inSaint Paul-de-Mausole asylum after many instances of hospitalization and self-mutilation on May 8, 1889. During his stay, he painted around 130paintings that were all inspired by the nature that surrounded him.
Among these paintings wasIrises .
Van Gogh worked on Irises within the first week of his stay in the asylum. Inspired dramatically by Japanese woodblock prints, Irises has a sort of stillness and beauty not shown in a lot of his later works.
Van Gogh didn't consider Irises a masterpiece , but rather a study. Today, Irises is considered one of the most expensive paintings ever sold, selling for 54 million dollars in 1987. Adjusted with today's inflation, Irises would have cost 125 million dollars.
Starry Night: Saint Remy, south of France, June 1889
[amazon box="B07NLR4TZC"]Painted from the east-facing window of Van Gogh's room in Saint Paul-de-Mausole asylum,Starry Night depicts a dreamy interpretation of an imaginary village just before sunrise. With all the 21 versions he's painted of Starry Night, none show the bars on the window of his room.
Starry Night is considered to be Van Gogh's mostfamous paintings, and is recognized throughout the world. However, Van Gogh deemed it to be a failure, according to the letter sent to his brother.
The contoured forms shown in Starry Night are said to convey Van Gogh's quest to overcome his illness, and the bright lights shining down over the dark landscape signify strong feelings of hope.
Despite his erratic behavior, and the severity of his attacks, Van Gogh still felt comfort looking up the stars, and even found hope in the darkest years of his life.
In one of the letters sent to Van Gogh's brother Theo, he writes, "I don't know anything with certainty, but seeing the stars makes me dream.”
Wheatfield with Cypress: Saint Remy, France, July 1889
[amazon box="B06XN5S4XL"]While going on short walks outside the asylum, Van Gogh was particularly impressed by the cypresses that stood in the distance. He believed that it reflected some of what he felt during that time, and this is what inspiredWheatfield with Cypress .
In a nutshell, Wheatfield with Cypress expressed what Van Gogh believed is the meaning of life. The wheatfields represent the cycle of life; celebrated, and vulnerable to the powerful forces of nature.
The cypresses, on the other hand, symbolize stability ina wild landscape .
Wheat Field with Cypresses was bought in 1993 for $57 million, and was subsequently donated to theMetropolitan Museum of Art .
Almond Blossom: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, February 1890
[amazon box="B08B642SP4"]Among Van Gogh's favorite subjects werelarge blossom branches against a blue sky. Almond trees signify the symbol of new life as it blooms early in spring, and just like Irises,Almond Blossom was inspired by Japanese printmaking.
Van Gogh painted Almond Blossom as a gift for his brotherTheo and his sister-in-lawJohanna , who just had a son named after him.
In Theo's letter, he wrote, "As we told you, we’ll name him after you, and I’m making the wish that he may be as determined and as courageous as you."
Jo hung the final version of Almond Blossoms above their newborn's crib, and stated that it "seems to enthrall him."
Almond Blossoms remains closest to the hearts of the Van Gogh family, because of this.
Wheat Fields Near Auvers: Auvers-Sur-Oise, May 1890
[amazon box="B08QMF549C"]After his release from Saint-Rémy asylum, Theo and artistCamille Pissarro developed a plan for him to visitAuvers-Sur-Oise . But, he was too agitated topaint . Mainly due to the commotion of the city when he stayed with his brother with his wife and baby.
Under the supervision ofDr. Gachet , whom Van Gogh developed a close relationship with, Van Goghstarted to paint Wheat Fields near Auvers. It is a form of "zig-zag, patchwork pattern," of some of his favoritecolors : blue, green, and yellow.
Van Gogh described feeling calm while he worked on the painting.
Wheat Fields near Auvers was among his finalpaintings , because he took his own life two months later. For this reason, it became one of his most memorable pieces of work.
Final Thoughts - Paint by Numbers Van Gogh
Van Gogh is among the most, if not the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. Most notable are his work's of beauty, emotion, and vivid colorOne of the best ways to remember an artist is to own one of their works in our homes, and while we can't buy Starry Night for 100 million dollars, why not paint them ourselves - or maybe try your hand at something else likeThe Great Wave Off Kanagawa ?
Getting a Van Goghpaint by numbers kit is the best and easiest way to achieve this.Painting by numbers is a fun, creative way to create a masterpiece that will make Van Gogh proud.
For a complete gallery of our paint by numbers kits,CLICK HERE !
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