March 30th was Vincent Van Gogh’s 173rd birthday. I intended to write and post this blog entry all the way back in March for the occasion, but life has been busy, and time got away from me. It has been on my mind to write about Van Gogh for quite some time now. I am finally doing it! And this certainly won’t be the last time I do it. I find Van Gogh to be incredibly inspiring and someone who I connect with very deeply. I know I’m not the only one. Van Gogh’s life and art have touched many, many, many people’s hearts.
I cannot claim to be an expert on Van Gogh, but I am passionate about his life and work. I continue to learn about him, and the more I learn about him, the more I connect with him. Putting aside the fact that we’re both artists with a Dutch heritage, I find myself relating to Van Gogh’s joys and heartbreaks, his passions and his woes. I feel that Van Gogh and I are very similar in many ways. To be clear, there are many parts of his life that I cannot fully relate to, and so I don’t want to be painting a false narrative that Van Gogh and I are the same person with the same experiences. We’re not. And I certainly don’t want to make it sound like I’m just here to romanticize the life of a poor, troubled artist. I empathize deeply with Vincent Van Gogh, and I connect with his vision. I want to learn more about him, about his work, and share it with others.
“I find myself relating to Van Gogh’s joys and heartbreaks, his passions and his woes.”
Born in 1853 in the Netherlands, Vincent Van Gogh was a perceived failure by many during his life. He was kicked out of seminary school. He was scorned by the church for his “unorthodox” approach on mission to poor commoners. He failed to succeed in his uncle’s business. He delt with mental illness, was ridiculed by the community, and lived in poverty most of his life. In July of 1890, he died of a gun wound to his stomach. (It is debated whether it was self-inflicted or accidental.) In his whole career as an artist, he only sold one painting. Yet, Van Gogh created thousands of works of art during his career and is now known and celebrated as one of the most influential artists in history. He is considered one of the leading artists in the post-impressionism movement.
I think the moment I first connected with Van Gogh was in reading a chapter from Makoto Fujimura’s book, Culture Care[i]. (I highly recommend you read it!) In the book, Makoto gives a fascinating and illuminating analysis of Van Gogh’s The Starry Night. I had heard this painting described as “spiritual” in art school before but had never realized how true that was until reading Makoto’s book. The Starry Night contains incredible little pieces of insight into Van Gogh’s life experience and mindset. I suddenly connected with Van Gogh and his work on a whole new level.
I suddenly connected with Van Gogh and his work on a whole new level.
But why does a story like Van Gogh’s move me so much?
Maybe it’s the tragedy of it. A troubled man dealing with a roller coaster of emotions, struggling to live, struggling to express his unique view of creation, feeling like an outsider, lonely, trying to find love and acceptance but instead being rejected. I certainly feel and relate to someone in that situation. But I’ve learned over time that there is more to feel and connect with than just the sadness and tragedy of Van Gogh.
Van Gogh wasn’t entirely alone in his life. There were fellow artists who saw and supported his vision. He had neighbors and friends who cared for his well-being. Most of all, he had his brother, Theo, who was committed to him as his biggest supporter. Theo backed his brother through his whole art career, taking care of all his expenses. And as an art dealer, he worked to sell Vincent’s art. What a blessing for Vincent to have a brother like Theo who believed in his vision and aspirations. It reminds me to be grateful for the people I have in my life who love and support me. They are truly a blessing from God.
Van Gogh was one of the fathers of the post-impressionism movement. To give a quick explanation of what that is, impressionism is an art style in which the artist depicts their impression of a subject rather than a photo realistic or geometrically accurate depiction. Post-impressionism takes it a step further with bolder colors and more defined, abstract shapes. Van Gogh’s depictions of the night sky are some of the best examples of this. What he depicts can be seen as his internal impression about the world around him. There is so much life that glows from his work through his use of vibrant yellows, blues, and greens.
I connect much of Van Gogh’s life and work to Ecclesiastes 3:11. Specifically the line “He (God) has planted eternity in the human heart.” Van Gogh expressed with intense passion the eternity that was written on his heart. I’m not sure whether he acknowledged God for it or not, but he did see the vastness of God’s creation and the beauty of it all. He pondered the flowers, the stars, eternity, and put it all on canvas.
I connect much of Van Gogh’s life and work to Ecclesiastes 3:11.
I think many other artists, including myself, feel like Van Gogh. Seeing, hearing, feeling all that there is to experience in world and in the soul, and then attempting to express that in some way that others can see. And sadly, I think many people usually won’t get it. At the very best, they’ll give you a thumbs up. At the very worst, they’ll tell you you’re crazy. (In the religious scene, there’s risk of being called a heretic. That’s a whole other conversation for another time.) We artists will probably end up unsatisfied ourselves when trying to express what we see, hear, and feel. No matter the amount of vision, time, or craft, there are some things that just aren’t received the way we want them to be. But then, that all changes when we start creating for a different audience.
No matter the amount of vision, time, or craft, there are some things that just aren’t received the way we want them to be.
I guess where my mind is going as I write this is that though eternity is written on my heart, I have limits. Like Van Gogh, I can experience all these things in the world and within myself. I can express my impressions. I can bring unique appreciation and create all kinds of good and beautiful things for the world, and be met with rejection. I can find myself alone, and despair in the loneliness.
Or I can realize the source of all these good things. When I realize Christ as the source of all these good things, my audience changes. I know that there is a loving and intentional Creator behind the beauty, who is the source and sustainer of these things. Not only that, but He cares about my joys and my heartbreaks, my passions and my woes. And so, He has given me a mind, a heart, and a talent to express them to Him. I find my true joy and affirmation in the One who has given me creative gifts. They are a way to worship Him. Oh, what a blessing and a privilege it is to be a part of His creation and be a co-creator in His Kingdom! To be able to worship Him and glorify Him creatively! And so, I will let my Van Gogh out and create with all my heart and soul. I will create, not to please myself, not to please others, but to please God and bring glory to Him!
[i] Fujimura, Makoto, and Mark Labberton. Culture care: Reconnecting with beauty for our common life. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, an imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2017.
Grant Overbeek 
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