Who Was Vincent Van Gogh?

By (author) Manzanero Paula K.; By (author) Who HQ; Illustrated by Copeland Gregory
Short description/annotation:
Learn about the Dutch artist behind beloved paintings like The Starry Night, Sunflowers, and over thirty self-portraits in this fascinating biography about Vincent Van Gogh for young readers.
Description:
Today, Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most famous artists of all time. During his lifetime, he sold just one painting. This misunderstood painter was passionate about his craft and created over 2,100 pieces of art in just over a decade before he passed away at the age of thirty-seven. Bold shades of blue and yellow, dramatically thick paint application, and heavy brush strokes define Vincent''s pieces that are now adored by millions of people all over the world. In his brief life, Vincent was an often lonely person who struggled with his mental health. Yet he was always supported by his brother Theo, who encouraged Vincent as he pursued his dreams of being a painter. Much of what we know about Vincent today is thanks to the hundreds of letters from him that Theo kept safe.
Biographical note:
Paula K. Manzanero is the director of Who HQ and Nonfiction Publishing at Penguin Workshop and is a children''s book author.
Excerpt:
Who Was Vincent van Gogh?

In the United States, his name is pronounced “van-GO.” In England, it’s “van-GOFF.” The French say “van-GOG.” But in his native language of Dutch, Vincent van Gogh’s name is pronounced “van-GHOU-kh.”

His paintings, however, are all simply signed “Vincent.”

Vincent understood that his name would be difficult to pronounce in French and English. In a letter to his brother Theo, in 1888, he noted that “in future my name must be put in the catalog the way I sign it on the canvases . . . Vincent and not Van Gogh, for the excellent reason that people here wouldn’t be able to pronounce that name.” He was living in France at the time and had likely already heard people struggle with his last name.

Because he had worked for galleries and as an art dealer in his twenties, Vincent understood the importance of getting an artist’s name “just right.” But could he have ever imagined how many galleries and art catalogs his name would appear in over time?

Probably not.

Vincent van Gogh’s life was a very short one. He knew that he didn’t quite fit in among the other young men of his time. He tried working at many different jobs before he finally became an artist. And he was often anxious over the details of his daily life. But he loved nature, and he found a certain peace when he was near it or surrounded by it.

Today he is one of the most famous and influential figures in the history of art. And when we see a painting signed simply “Vincent,” there is no mistaking who created it.

Chapter 1
Early Days

Vincent Willem van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853, in a small town called Groot-Zundert in the southern part of the Netherlands. Today the town is known simply as Zundert.

His father, Theodorus (called Dorus), was a minister. His mother was a very religious woman named Anna. He was the oldest of six children: Theo, Cor, Elisabeth (called Lies), Anna, and Willemina (called Wil). Vincent was named after his grandfather, who was a well-known art dealer. Three of his uncles were also art dealers. And so the business of selling art was a large part of the Van Gogh family history.

The Dutch Reformed Church that Theodorus ministered to provided the family with a house—called a parsonage. The church also provided them a carriage, a horse, and a few servants. Groot-Zundert was a swampy rural village near the Belgian border. It was a land of wheat fields and pine forests, and it was populated by potato farmers and sheep. The parsonage had a large garden where the Van Gogh children each had