I have recently been very moved by a tribute to van gogh and thought it would be fun to start a thread of facts about some of the old masters and new ones as well. To Start I will post some info found on Van gogh.

Van Gogh Short Facts
Vincent had an older brother who died at birth. His name was also Vincent van Gogh.


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Van Gogh was close friends with Paul Gauguin, another famous artist.


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Van Gogh suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy as well as other mental and physical conditions.


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Vincent shot himself in a wheatfield in Auvers, France but did not die until 2 days later at the age of 37.


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Vincent’s brother Theo died six months after Vincent and is buried next to him in Auvers, France.


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Vincent’s brother’s wife collected Vincent’s paintings and letters after his death and dedicated herself to getting his work the recognition it deserved.


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In a short period of ten years Van Gogh made approximately 900 paintings.


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Vincent only sold one painting during his lifetime and only became famous after his death.


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Vincent van Gogh did not cut off his ear. He only cut off a small portion of his ear lobe.


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Van Gogh created his most famous work The Starry Night while staying in an asylum in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France.


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Vincent’s earliest career aspiration was to be a pastor in the Dutch Reformed Church like his father.


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Van Gogh wrote over 800 letters in his lifetime. The majority of them written to his brother and closest friend Theo.

Thanks for the info .. so many things I did not know about him .

I might add ..I have heard that even though he only sold one painting .. he did paint and draw and gave them in exchange for food and rent and clothing and such.. I think that those who really knew him felt sorry for him and took them as trade because they cared about him ,,,Oh boy what I would give to be one of those friends who had one of his paintings or drawings..

Thats really cool!!

please do not hate on me but honestly when I see his work I think what would happen if it was posted in a forum and someone ask to give advice ..I am sure we would all see where it could look better if .. or less here and there ..it was not until Kay sent me a link that really made me say wow to what he did and I was able to see his work for what he intended I think .

Kim I understand the comment.. but in his day and time and how he came to be an Artist at such a late age and the complex man he was.. it showed in his Art.. You can see it in the many periods of change in his subject line and compositions..

I was telling Kay about the PBS TV Station from time to time has a series on The Great Masters .. They cover the story of a Master.. one per week and will show it at different times during the week .. The life stories in narration and acted out by actors mixed with their Art work and places they lived and worked.. Extremely interesting.. Perhaps email or write to your PBS station if you have one and ask them to repeat the Series .. I am going to .. and hopefully be able to tape them .. Never thought to do that before .. wish I had.

The Artist that reminded me the most of Vincent is a man Named Rembrandt Bugatti.. He came from a family of Creativity .. more noted for their Fame in The Bugatti Automobiles.. Rembrandt was the Artist of sketching and some painting but more in to Sculpting animals, spent many many hours at the zoo in Paris ,studying their form and sculpting even on site,I found that to be so interesting .. You see plein aire in artist sketching , but how many sculptors do you see out in the field sculpting ? .. He was famous for the The Standing Elephant hood ornament on the Bugatti Royale "Coupe Napoleon".. What drew me to him was his struggles in his Art as a troubled man like Vincent. He too committed suicide.. His brother, like Vincents, tried to support him with love and monetarily .. Was almost a carbon copy.. If you have some time Google Rembrandt Bugatti.. His father Carlos was the beginning of his sons long line of skill. he made this strange exotic furniture .. interesting as well..

Okay I'll stop with the rattling on and on , check him out for yourself.. my contribution of the masters..

Carol

thank you for sharing carol, I Had not heard of this artist and shall google him to learn a little more..

Our friend CEES has recently introduced me to a wonderful artist by the name of Rein Poortvliet. a wonderful artist from the netherlands, I have looked him up but really find nothing of significance on his works, i merely get ebay, and other sale related info.

Kay I found this video .. I don't speak Dutch so you'll have to mute and just look at his works.. Very impressive..
Rien Poortvliet Museum

yes, that is the one cees shared with me, he is awesome, i love his work! and thanks to cees for introducing us

does the UK get 'easyrider' magazine? well I dont mean the newer issues but the issues from the 70-80's
they had an artist in there I admired very much..DAVE MANN? He did awesome biker art..Sadly he is no more amongst the living artist
this site has some poster examples of his work.


DAVE MANN

Click to view attachment

Rien Poortvliet indeed was a wonderful painter. Unfortunately I could not find any links in english yet, but here are some videos that show some of his work.
I will do my best to find a link in english to share with you.
In his books, he also told the stories behind the paintings and also these stories are little works of art.

Will keep you posted.

good to see you and thanks cees.

here is another lil fun fact i have rummaged around and found, and the funny thing is, as often as I have seen this photo, the fact that she lacked eyebrows never seemed to 'jump out at me' so to speak until it was mentioned here.

Click to view attachment



It is a funny fun fact that famous painting Mona Lisa done by Leonardo Da Vinci is not actually Mona Lisa. The painter created this art masterpiece by painting his own wife, La Gioconda therefore the real title of this painting is La Gioconda. For many years it was called as Madona Lisa which is probably the reason of its title as Mona Lisa at present. Many random fun facts and few funny fun facts are associated with it. If you deeply study the painting, you will come to know that the lady in the painting is without eyebrows. Isn't it funny information and one of true funny facts to ponder??

I bet she plucked her nose hair too.

i am in a very good and happy mood this morning, i have been listening to 'silly' songs,
all morning i have been listening to peter denahy, he is just a riot..

It would seem that I am alone this p.m. just a babbling away in the threads Cees has awakened a strong interest in me in Vincent Van Gogh, his life story i mean. Has there been a movie made if so I should like to see it? If not? how come? It is a most fascinating and sad story and i have found this letter written to his brother theo, that gives much a state of his mind. If you are interested in Van Gogh and his life and have not viewed any of his letters written to his brother you may do so here van gogh letter

There is one particular paragraph in this letter that i draw a very strong similarity with:
Now, one of the reasons why I have no regular job, and why I have not had a regular job for years, is quite simply that my ideas differ from those of the gentlemen who hand out the jobs......

Kay I have done my homework and found the PBS series on Vincent .. the first video I am sending will lead you to a series of 12 more.. It is narrated by Simon Schama's Power Of Art.. You will love these !!!
Let me know if it comes through for you.. Carol

Van Gogh

They are short videos and 13 of them but well worth the bother.. If your PBS station ever has Scahmas series listed .. be sure and don't miss them .. He does all the great Masters !!

thank you so very much carol..i am off to view now

that was a great watch. I loved it.
Good thing today there is meds for all that

Van Gogh is famous for his paintings, but here you will find his complete works, including the drawings which are in my opinion his best works.
Hope you enjoy.

cees thank you for sharing that, i shall look at it this pm. when i get time..he really was a 'torn' soul wasn't he?

here is another favorite of mine John Singer Sargeant. A page with his work and his information:

John Singer Sargeant

Discouraged at the rejection, even considered leaving art at the age of 28, he left Paris and settled (if that word could ever be used for him) in England where he reached the height of his fame. To be painted by Sargent was to be painted by the best.

My favorite artist lives in Michigan, has two teenaged daughters, wears eyeglasses and hasn't figured out watercolor yet

hey that sounds just like this great lady i know..

Have you got her number?

Cees I have been going through these and i agree, his letter sketches are better than his actual artworks

wow could someone please send me a link lol I would love to see her work .

Rembrandt fun facts:
Rembrandt
Quick Facts
One of the greatest painters in Dutch history and the history of art, best known for his portraits and his mythological and religious works, he was also a draftsman, and an etcher.

Lived: 1606 - 1669

Born in: Leiden, Netherlands

Birthday and astrological sign: July 15, 1606, Cancer

Nationality: Dutch

Period: Dutch Baroque Era, Painter of the Dutch Golden Age

Died: October 4, 1669, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Age 63

AKA: Paul Rembrandt, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, Reimbrant van Rijn

Quote: Practice what you know, and it will help to make clear what now you do not know.

Fun Facts: He may have been born in 1607 not 1606, his home is now the Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam, three of his four children died in infancy, then his wife died, he took a second wife who also died, a short time later his last remaining son died, then he himself died the following year and was buried in a rented grave.

What happens when you don't pay the rent on a grave? My mind boggles!

You get re-possesed?

Would you be evicted?

Cremated.

yep, exhumed, cremated tossed out with the others, and a paying corpse put in the place