Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh is regarded as the preeminent figure of Post-Impressionism. He lived during the late nineteenth century, but only painted for a handful of years before his untimely death.

The Dutch painter Van Gogh was the son of a Protestant preacher and was raised in Christian tradition. While he draw as a child, his talent emerged later in his life. He worked as an art dealer in London, but decided to pursuit theology in order to help the poor.

In 1878 he decides to go to Borinage, Belgium, a coal mining area, to be a preacher. His charity was misunderstood by the miners, and this event deeply saddens Van Gogh. He returns home and starts practicing painting. He observes the peasants 'work and from this period dates his first masterpiece, The potato eaters. The art depicted is different then the pastoral serenity in which the peasants were traditionally painted. The painting raised a scandal and Van Gogh had to move again. This time he arrived in Paris, where his brother Theo introduced him to other painters. There he discovered the diversity and beauty of Impressionist art.

In February 1888 he travels in the south of France, to Arles. The Mediterranean light and the spring are a source of inspiration and he paints vigorously, either landscapes such as View At Arles With Trees In Blossom or still-lifes such as Still-life With Bottle. Loneliness overcame him and invited Gauguin to stay with him. The different temperaments and aspirations of them makes the relation tense and ill matched. After the spring of 1888, the first attack of madness occurs when he cuts a part of his left ear. He enters a medical hospital, treats himself but the attacks recur. In between, he paints feverishly as a way to console others.

Loneliness and the sun which this time inspired fear made him move to Auvers-sur-Oise in 1890, at the advice of his brother. Here he stayed at a small hotel; he paints a desolate and hopeless Wheatfields and Crows. On July 27 1890, he shots himself and dies two days later. Van Gogh's life is unfortunate and tragic; his work however was rediscovered later. Today, his paintings are one of the most valuable in the world. His art is remarkable for the manipulation of pure colors and for design.http://www.amazon.com/Dutch-Painting-World-Rudolf-Herman/dp/0500201676/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272956855&sr=8-1

• 1853: Born in Groot-Zundert.

• 1869: Starts apprenticeship at Goupil & Cie, working in The Hague.

• 1873: Moves to Goupil in London.

• 1876: Returns to England to work as a teacher and assistant preacher.

• 1878: Leaves for the Borinage, a coal-mining area in southern Belgium, to work as a lay preacher.

• 1880: Moves to Brussels and studies independently, supported by his brother, Theo.

• 1885: Completes The Potato Eaters.

• 1886: Meets Paul Gauguin.

• 1886-1888: Lives with his brother, Theo.

• 1888: While sharing a house with Gauguin, threatens him with a razor

• 1889: Cuts off most of his own left ear.

• 1889: Commits himself into the mental hospital of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole in Saint Remy de Provence.

• 1889: Paints The Starry Night.

• 1890: Seeks treatment from Dr. Paul Gachet in Auvers-sur-Oise, outside Paris.

• 1890: Dies of a self-inflicted gunshot head wound.

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