Vincent van Gogh (March 30, 1853 – July 29, 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who became one of the most influential figures in Western art. Though he produced over 2,000 artworks, including iconic pieces like The Starry Night, Sunflowers, and Irises, he achieved little recognition during his lifetime. His letters, especially those to his brother Theo, reveal profound reflections on art, life, nature, and the human soul. Van Gogh’s passionate and innovative use of color and brushwork transformed painting, leaving a lasting legacy.
Artist Pablo Picasso once said of him, “Van Gogh was a painter who painted not what he saw, but what he felt.”
Below, we list some words of wisdom from Van Gogh, drawn from his letters and writings.
“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”
“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”
“Success is sometimes the outcome of a whole string of failures.”
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”
“I put my heart and soul into my work, and I have lost my mind in the process.”
“I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.”
“I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart.”
“Normality is a paved road: It’s comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it.”
“I dream my painting and I paint my dream.”
“The way to know life is to love many things.”
“I would rather die of passion than of boredom.”
“Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. Then life seems almost enchanted after all.”
“Art is to console those who are broken by life.”
“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.”
“The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has its pearls too.”
“I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.”
“Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter’s soul.”
“What color is in a picture, enthusiasm is in life.”
“I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it.”
“The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.”
“One must work and dare if one really wants to live.”
“Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much.”
“There is peace even in the storm.”
“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”
“The only time I feel alive is when I’m painting.”
“Exaggerate the essential, leave the obvious vague.”
“I try more and more to be myself, caring relatively little whether people approve or disapprove.”
“Close friends are truly life’s treasures. Sometimes they know us better than we know ourselves.”
“Though I am often in the depths of misery, there is still calmness, pure harmony and melody within me.”
“A good picture is equivalent to a good deed.”
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