Van Gogh Failure

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Van Gogh Failure Essay, Research Paper

In the realm of art there have been numerous accounts of infamous artists who have stood out in their art period, such as Goya, Monet and Picasso. One artist who stood out during his art period was Vincent van Gogh, not only for his artwork but also because of his tragic life. Vincent van Gogh is now a world-renowned painter who was born on March 30th, 1853. He was born in Groot Zundert in North Brabant and was the son of Theodorus van Gogh. His art is considered to be part of the expressionism era and his most famous art works include Starry Night, Sun Flowers and The Mulberry Tree. But though he has had much love, admiration and popularity after his death, van Gogh could be considered a failure during his life, for he could not have any type of stable relationship with anyone. He failed to get along with other people including other artists, failed to have a stable relationship with his family and also failed in having any type of successful love relationships.

Although an artist should be able to be at peace with his/her surroundings, van Gogh could never blend in with society nor could he get along with other artists. As a young man, his peers did not accept Vincent: “in the class of Mr. Bokma he certainly was the most advanced, but he does not feel at home at the school, he is ‘like a fish out of water’ he says, and is ridiculed for is peculiarities in dress and manners.” (48). Van Gogh was uncomfortable in his surroundings at Brussel, a school for teaching religion, and was mocked by his classmates because his attire was disagreeable to their taste. As he matured as a man, he still was unable to get along with other people: “Acquaintances, and relatives are shocked to see him walk about with such a slovenly woman; nobody cares to associate with him any longer and his home life is such that nobody come to visit him.” (56) Many people disagreed or disliked the fact that he was involved with a woman, who was “such a slovenly woman”, and so they never cared to visit Vincent anymore or have any association with him any longer. Even as an artist, van Gogh could not even get along with other artists let alone society as a whole: “ Vincent and I simply cannot live together in peace, in consequence of incompatibility of temper, and he as well as I, we need quiet for our work.”(73). This quote was from a letter from Gauguin who lived with Vincent for some time in Arles. He stayed with Vincent for a while so that they would inspire each other in their art works, but it turned out that they irritated each other more than inspired each other. Gauguin expressed that they simply could not live together in peace, and expressed his need to distance himself from Vincent. It is clear that Vincent simply could not blend into society nor could he get along with other artists.

Though one may think that even though society could not accept van Gogh surely his family would be able to bear him, but this was not the case. Van Gogh also failed in having a stable relationship with his family. In his early adulthood, Vincent had already lost the respect of one of his family members: “At the age of twenty-three years he is now thrown out of employment, without any chance of a better career; Uncle Vincent is deeply disappointed in his namesake and washes his hands of him.”(44). At twenty-three, his uncle gave him a chance to advance himself, but he ends up failing miserably and so his uncle, being fairly disappointed, washes his hands of any responsibility of Vincent. Later in his life, van Gogh struggles as a painter and had received help from his family. He moved in with his family and hoped to grow as an artist but ended up further alienating his family, “In consequence of several disagreeable discussions with the other members of the family, he resolved to live no longer at the vicarage, but took up his abode in the studio, where he stayed from May to November.”(Pg. 63, Roskill). He had a couple of arguments with his family and so he secluded himself from them by staying in his studio for three months. Lastly, to show that Vincent van Gogh failed to have a fruitful relationship with his family was that he could not even maintain a healthy relationship with his brother, who is the only one who understands Vincent the most, “I only ask him one thing, to do me no harm and by his stay- he does so, for I can hardly bear it ”(68). His brother could not stand him any longer, and his staying longer only irritated Theo more. Vincent van Gogh simply never had a completely stable relationship with his family. Though they had tried to help him much and show their love for him, he became more and more distant from them.

Vincent van Gogh had failed in getting along with people in society, failed in having a stable relationship with his family and finally failed in having any type of successful love relationship. Throughout his life there were a number of accounts of van Gogh attempting to establish love relationships with a number of women who entered into his life. One love interest that came early in his life was a woman by the name of Ursula. Ursula was the daughter of Mrs. Loyer, who was the owner of a home in London, which Vincent had lived in when he working for his uncle. It is claimed by Vincent’s stepsister that Vincent had lived his happiest years of his life in London. As time went by Vincent grew fonder of Ursula and decided to express his love for her: “he intends to visit Holland in July and before that time seems to have spoken to Ursula of his love.” But he is too late in his pursuit for Ursula: “Alas it turns out that she is already engaged to somebody, who boarded with them before Vincent came. He tries all his influences to make her break this engagement but does not succeed” (42-43). Apparently, Ursula had already been engaged to someone else, and despite Vincent’s efforts to break the engagement he fails miserably. A second heartache brought on to Vincent was by a woman named Etten. She was one of his cousins as well as a widow with a four-year-old son, whom he met during his stay at the vicarage. She was very pained by the passing of her husband, and unconsciously the impression, which she gave Vincent, was that she had some interest in him. Vincent instantly fell for Etten, and by trying to win her over he expressed a great amount of care and kindness towards her boy, “tried to win the heart of the mother by great devotion to the child.”(54). But despite his efforts he was left with a heartache once again: “They walked and talked much together, and he has also drawn a portrait of her (which seems to have been lost), but the thought of a more intimate relation did not occur to her, and when Vincent spoke to her at last about his love, a very decided no was the immediate reply”(54). Once again as Vincent gathered his courage to express his love, but again denied. Lastly, Vincent failed again to establish a love relationship with a woman named Kee, who entered into his life when he lived in Holland. His method, which he followed to win her heart, was, “to love her so long, that she’ll love me in the end”(130). But in the end she never loved Vincent and once again Vincent was left alone. In all of his attempts, Vincent had failed in all his adventures to develop any type of love relationships.

For a world-renowned artist, Vincent van Gogh led a life of failure. He failed in almost to get along with people in society. He failed to have a healthy and balanced l relationship with his family. Lastly he had failed in any type of love interest, for a number of women who entered his life. Love, admiration and popularity simply was not a life that Vincent van Gogh had lead, instead one of heartache, solitude and rejection.

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