Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)

Vincent van Gogh did for the art of painting what Frédéric Bastiat did for the art of economics.
Both were revolutionists in their fields.

“I dream of painting and then I paint my dream.“
“Maybe God made me a painter for people who aren’t born yet.”
“I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.”
Vincent Van Gogh
“Seek only light and freedom and do not immerse yourself too deeply in the worldly mire.”
(The Letters of Vincent van Gogh)
Let us think about the author of The Starry Night (explore The Starry Night at Google Art Project)

Man is not placed on the earth merely to be happy; nor is he placed here merely to be honest, he is here to accomplish great things through society, to arrive at nobleness, and to outgrow the vulgarity in which the existence of almost all individuals drags on.

Vincent van Gogh, The Letters (2009, p. 57) (The Letters)

“I must continue to follow the path I take now. If I do nothing, if I study nothing, if I cease searching, then, woe is me, I am lost. That is how I look at it — keep going, keep going come what may.
But what is your final goal, you may ask. That goal will become clearer, will emerge slowly but surely, much as the rough draught turns into a sketch, and the sketch into a painting through the serious work done on it, through the elaboration of the original vague idea and through the consolidation of the first fleeting and passing thought.” (Vincent van Gogh)

Letter to Theo van Gogh (July 1880) as translated by Mrs. Johanna van Gogh-Bonger

 “When we are working at a difficult task and strive after a good thing, we are fighting a righteous battle, the direct reward of which is that we are kept from much evil. As we advance in life it becomes more and more difficult, but in fighting the difficulties the inmost strength of the heart is developed.”

Dear Theo: the Autobiography of Vincent Van Gogh (1995) edited by Irving Stone and Jean Stone, p. 26

“There are things which we feel to be good and true, though in the cold light of reason and calculation many things remain incomprehensible and dark. And though the society in which we live considers such actions thoughtless, or reckless, or I don’t know what else, what can we say if once the hidden forces of sympathy and love have been roused in us? And though it may be that we cannot argue against the reasoning sentiment and to act from impulse, one would almost conclude that some people have cauterized certain sensitive nerves within them, especially those which, combined, are called conscience. Well, I pity those people; they travel through life without compass, in my opinion.”

Dear Theo: the Autobiography of Vincent Van Gogh (1995) edited by Irving Stone and Jean Stone, p. 181

Look at the centre of the upper image for 30 sec  (here)
Then watch Van Gogh’s *Starry Night* below.
StarryNight

Feel like walking around in Van Gogh’s painting The Bedroom (1888)

Van Gogh Museum-FB

Vincent van Gogh Museum – Amsterdam

van Gogh The Life

Follow van Gough

New Vincent van Gogh painting identified

A parade in the Netherlands celebrates Vincent van Gogh with giant floats made of flowers

David Hockney on Vincent van Gogh

10 Most-Loved Paintings by Vincent van Gogh

The Potato Eaters

“Schatz, leg doch bitte bis heute abend die Wäsche zusammen” – “Geht klar!”
′′ Skarbie, proszę złóż pranie do wieczora ′′ – ′′ Jasne!”