Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh was a painter from the Netherlands. He lived a long time ago, in the 1800s. He made more than 2,000 artworks. His paintings use bold colors and thick paint. Today, people all over the world love his art.

His Life

Vincent was born in 1853. As a boy, he loved to draw and read books. He tried many jobs before he became an artist. He did not start painting until he was almost 27. His brother Theo helped him and sent him money. Vincent painted for only about ten years, but he made a lot of art in that time.

Famous Paintings

One of his best known paintings is called The Starry Night. It shows a night sky full of big, swirly stars. He also painted bright yellow sunflowers in a vase. He made many pictures of himself, called self-portraits. He liked to paint fields, farmers, and simple things he saw each day.

Fun Facts

• Vincent sold only one painting while he was alive.
• He often painted very fast and could finish a work in just one day.
• He wrote hundreds of letters to his brother Theo about his art and life.

Did You Know?

Vincent van Gogh used more than 800 tubes of paint and loved the color yellow most of all.