today is vincent van gogh’s 166th birthday and this is just a reminder that its really weird to romanticize him as a crazy genius who killed himself because he was misunderstood and lived ahead of his time.
yes, he struggled with his mental health and spent time in an asylum. but there is no proof that he committed suicide and there are so many other incredible inspirational things about his life we could talk about instead: he worked incredibly hard and, within nine years, painted more than most other artists do in a lifetime. he honed his skills and developed a unique style in an incredibly short period of time and literally didnt stop painting until his death. his family, and especially his brother theo supported him financially his whole life. he was the one who encouraged him to pursue painting professionally, and constantly introduced him to collectors, gallery owners, art dealers, and other artists. it’s thanks to him and his wife johanna that vincent became famous at all. after both vincent and theo had died within a span of only 6 months, she began editing, translating, and publishing their lifelong correspondence. she donated vincent’s works to galleries and museums. vincent van gogh didnt become the most popular painter in western art by chance. without the support and money of his brother he would never have had the time to pick up a brush and without the efforts of his sister-in-law he would have been forgotten after his death. the brothers became famous for their letters before most people even saw one of vincent’s paintings.
so please, pick something. its all incredibly inspirational imo, and comforting, too. whether youre an artist or not, no one can make it alone. we all rely on the support of others.
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