The Dutch painter, Vincent van Gogh is arguably one of the most famous and admired Post Impressionist painters today. His powerful brush strokes and bold colors make his work so vibrant - despite a tortured life. In his short lifetime, his work was not appreciated and he only ever sold one painting! 

Shown above is the beautiful hand embroidery pattern of his most famous work, Starry Night. The designer is Iryna Kutsyna of bloomingdaythings. Iryna is one of the rare Van Gogh fans whose designs also include his other famous works including the sunflowers still life shown below.  Van Gogh painted many sunflower pictures. He wanted to always paint things as they were -  he didn't care if some of the blooms were way past their best!



Starry Night is also the subject of this beaded earrings pattern by Solomiia Tepla of  UnicornBeadsArt. I have featured this talented Ukrainian artist before here. 


There are also many crochet patterns of the artist himself. My favorite is this amigurumi pattern by Mabe of  MabeBerriosArt. It can be used as a pin. 


Mabe also created a whole collection of amigurumi artist pins as seen below. 


Bead embroidery fans will surely love this beautifully designed Vincent van Gogh brooch tutorial by Natasha of the ArtBroochShop. 


Similarly, brick stitch fringe earrings enthusiasts will love this version of Starry night.  The designer is Helen of HelenBeadPatterns. I have featured her before here. 


I like how this lovely embroidered brooch tutorial of his famous sunflowers painting is rectangular like a real canvas. The designer is Dinara of Ozinshe. 


This craft tutorial is a Diamond Dotz design where lots of SS10 crystals are used to create a very blingy Starry Night on tumblers.  The designer is Jenny of JennyKentDesigns. 


I was delighted to see Starry Night on a beaded bracelet tutorial! Hannah of HannyRosnerDesigns is the creator. 


This knitted hat design inspired by Starry Night is delightful. The designer is Ariel of StellarKnitsDesigns.


The Troubled Life of a Gifted Artist

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) was the eldest of six children of a Protestant pastor. He had great difficulty in holding down jobs - he was an art dealer, a book seller,  and even a missionary in a very poor coal mining part of Belgium which inspired his famously dark "Potato Eaters" painting. 

Thwarted in love when he was young, he descended into despair and loneliness. It was his loving younger brother, Theo, who encouraged him to build on his love of drawing. And so he did over a period of 10 years which culminated in his unique painting style in the last two years of his life. He was inspired by both Japanese prints as well as the Impressionists.

Dependent entirely on Theo's financial support, the artist struggled to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. At times, when he was very poor, he even ate some of his oil paints. 

He also wanted to start an artist colony but only Paul Gauguin actually came. Theirs was a rocky artistic relationship. After a particular violent quarrel, a mentally distressed van Gogh cut off his ear and gave it to a horrified woman at the local brothel. 

Van Gogh suffered from mental illness all his life. There is evidence he had manic depression, a chronic illness with no effective treatment in his day. Sad and fearful for his sanity, he voluntarily checked himself into a mental asylum in Saint Rémy-de-Provence in Southern France. It was in his year long stay there where he painted some of his most famous works, including Starry Night, cypress trees, wheat fields and irises. 

He checked himself out of the hospital and continued to despair of ever recovering. He was worried that his brother would no longer support him as Theo was now married and a young father. Vincent died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. He was only 37.

Theo, his most devoted brother, died of illness only six months after Vincent's passing. 

Watch this wonderfully acted portrayal of Vincent van Gogh's life by Paul Priestley of the ArtHistorySchool channel. 


Van Gogh's work might well have remained unknown but for the continued efforts of Theo's widow, Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, who made it her life's work to preserve and promote his legacy. She kept all his letters and published them. She organized exhibitions and wrote a lot about him.  After her death, her son, Vincent Willem (Vincent van Gogh's nephew) continued this work.

The woman who made Vincent van Gogh famous.

 


References

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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM