Vincent van Gogh: His Life, Death, and Posthumous Fame

When Vincent van Gogh died by suicide in July 1890 at age 37, he had sold only a handful of paintings. Within a decade, his work had been shown in major exhibitions from Paris to New York, and by the outbreak of World War I he was already regarded as a vanguard figure in modern art. This article traces how a misunderstood Dutch painter became a global icon—and which myths about his life still persist today. (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Last checked: 2026-06-17

Full Name: Vincent Willem van Gogh · Born: March 30, 1853, Zundert, Netherlands · Died: July 29, 1890, Auvers-sur-Oise, France · Known For: Post-Impressionist painting; The Starry Night, Sunflowers, self-portraits · Notable Event: Cut off part of his left ear in December 1888 · Cause of Death: Suicide by gunshot

Why Did Van Gogh Cut Off His Ear and Who Did He Give It?

The incident in Arles, December 1888

On the evening of December 23, 1888, after a heated argument with fellow painter Paul Gauguin, van Gogh experienced a severe mental crisis. Using a razor, he cut off part of his left ear lobe. He then wrapped the severed piece in cloth and brought it to a local brothel. (Britannica)

The gift to a woman at a brothel

Accounts say he gave the wrapped ear to a woman named Rachel, asking her to “keep this object carefully.” The story became a cornerstone of the “mad genius” myth, though some art historians now argue the legend may have been exaggerated. (Van Gogh Museum)

How Did Vincent van Gogh Become Famous After His Death?

Posthumous exhibitions and the role of his sister-in-law Jo van Gogh-Bonger

Within six weeks of Vincent’s death, his brother Theo organized a memorial exhibition in Paris. But it was Theo’s widow, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, who became the true engine of van Gogh’s posthumous fame. She inherited the massive collection of paintings, drawings, and letters. Over the next two decades, she lent works to exhibitions across Europe and the United States, tirelessly promoting Vincent’s art. In 1914 she published the first edition of Vincent’s letters to Theo, giving the public intimate access to his thoughts. (Van Gogh Museum)

Critical recognition in the 20th century

The first major retrospective took place in Paris in 1901. By the time the Van Gogh Museum opened in Amsterdam in 1973 (Van Gogh Museum), his reputation was already solid. Britannica notes that “van Gogh’s fame dates from the early years of the 20th century” and “has never ceased to grow.” (Encyclopaedia Britannica) Today, about two million people visit the museum each year.

What Did Van Gogh Say Before He Died?

His last reported words to Theo

After shooting himself in the chest on July 27, 1890, van Gogh survived for two days in his room at the Auberge Ravoux in Auvers-sur-Oise. His brother Theo rushed from Paris to be with him. According to accounts later written by Theo, Vincent’s last words were “La tristesse durera toujours” (The sadness will last forever). (Van Gogh Museum)

The ambiguity of his final statements

Some accounts also record him saying “I hope I did not make a mess of it,” referring to his suicide attempt. Because no direct transcript exists, the exact words remain debated. What is clear is that van Gogh was deeply distressed in his final days.

Where Did Van Gogh Shoot Himself?

The location in Auvers-sur-Oise

Van Gogh walked to a wheat field north of Auvers-sur-Oise, behind the Auberge Ravoux where he was staying. There he shot himself with a revolver. The exact spot is not marked, but historians generally place it in the field depicted in his painting Wheatfield with Crows. (Van Gogh Museum)

The field and the inn

The Auberge Ravoux still stands today and is a museum and visitor site. Visitors can walk the same paths through the agricultural fields that van Gogh painted in his final weeks.

What Is the Sad Story of Van Gogh?

Struggles with mental health

Throughout his life, van Gogh suffered from episodes of severe depression, anxiety, and what modern doctors might diagnose as bipolar disorder or epilepsy. He was voluntarily admitted to psychiatric hospitals in Arles and later in Saint-Rémy. His mental health crises directly contributed to the ear-cutting incident and his eventual suicide. (Tate)

Poverty and lack of recognition

During his career, van Gogh sold only a few paintings—probably just one confirmed sale—and relied on financial support from his brother Theo. He lived in modest lodgings, often spending money on art supplies rather than food. The sad irony is that his works now sell for tens of millions, and his name is recognized worldwide.

“Today, we know that this is a myth. Framing van Gogh as a mad genius reduces him to his mental health and illness.”

— Tate, on the “tortured genius” narrative

What Was Van Gogh’s Scariest Painting?

Interpretations of darkness in his work

Van Gogh’s emotional turmoil often translated into his art. Some paintings are deliberately unsettling in subject or mood. Art critics and fans frequently debate which work is the “scariest.”

Candidates for his scariest painting

The Potato Eaters (1885) is often cited for its grim, dark depiction of peasant life—the figures are barely lit by a single oil lamp. Wheatfield with Crows (1890), painted shortly before his death, uses stormy skies and a turbulent perspective that some interpret as a visual premonition of suicide. Britannica notes that these late works “exhibit an emotional intensity that borders on the apocalyptic,” but the “scariest” label remains subjective.