Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade, he created approximately 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, most of them in the last two years of his life. His work includes landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and self-portraits, characterized by bold colors and dramatic, impulsive, and expressive brushwork that contributed to the foundations of modern art. His work was only beginning to gain critical attention before he died from a self-inflicted gunshot at age 37.

Born into an upper-middle-class family, Van Gogh drew from childhood and displayed a serious, quiet, and thoughtful demeanor. He worked as an art dealer in his early years but became depressed after being transferred to London. Van Gogh later turned to religion and spent time as a missionary in Belgium. His physical health declined, and he struggled with mental instability.

He began painting in 1881, supported by his brother Theo, with whom he maintained a long and intimate correspondence. Van Gogh's early works consisted mostly of still lifes and depictions of peasant laborers. In 1886, he moved to Paris, where he met members of the artistic avant-garde, including Émile Bernard and Paul Gauguin. Frustrated with Paris, he moved to Arles in 1888, where his paintings grew brighter and he began to focus on the natural world.

Van Gogh's mental health continued to deteriorate, leading to psychotic episodes and delusions. A confrontation with Gauguin resulted in Van Gogh mutilating his own ear, which led to his hospitalization. He spent time in psychiatric hospitals and eventually moved to Auvers-sur-Oise under the care of Dr. Paul Gachet. His mental health issues persisted, and he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

After his death, Van Gogh's art and life story captured public imagination, becoming emblematic of the misunderstood genius. His use of color, expressive lines, and thick paint application inspired early 20th-century art movements such as Fauvism and German Expressionism. Today, Van Gogh's works are among the most expensive paintings ever sold, and his legacy is celebrated by the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, which holds the world's largest collection of his works.