Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)

Vincent van Gogh was born in the Brabant town of Zundert, where his father was a pastor. His uncles were art-dealers and Vincent began his career working for them at Goupil & Co. in The Hague. After several years in the art business Van Gogh decided to pursue another course. He became a lay preacher in England and later became involved in missionary work in Belgium. In 1880 he decided to become an artist. For several months he worked in The Hague with the painter Anton Mauve, an in-law whose work Van Gogh greatly admired. While in The Hague he also met George Breitner, with whom he regularly went on outdoor painting excursions. Later Van Gogh worked mainly in Nuenen in Brabant, where he portrayed farming life in sombre colours, as can be seen in his famous painting the 'Potato Eaters'.