Vincent van Gogh was born on 30 March 1853 in the Netherlands. He was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter, famous today for his choice of expressive colours and use of brushwork unique to him.Today, as soon as we see The Starry Night, we recognise that it belongs to him, but surprisingly, he did not work almost while of his life and created nearly 2,100 artworks in over a decade.He struggled with poverty and poor mental health, and found little success in his lifetime. Apart from his paintings, the real treasures today are the many letters he wrote, which reflect his profound wisdom, especially those to his younger brother Theo. These letters are now our best window into his mind.Here is one of his well-known quotes; let’s dig in to find out what he meant to say.
Quote of the day
…and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?
Vincent van Gogh
What does the quote mean
When we read these lines, it sounds like a quiet philosophy of life. In a way it is, but the story behind it is simpler and warmer than most people expect. Van Gogh means to say that a good life doesn’t need much. A place to live, a curious mind, a walk outside, a painting that changes you from within, a line of poetry that lingers in your mind a little longer- all these tiny yet profound things for him were already a feast. He meant these experiences were sufficient for living a life.The line comes from a letter to his brother Theo, written in London in early January 1874, catalogued as letter 017. He was only 20 and had started working at Goupil’s art dealership in London in 1873. He told Theo that things were going well, that he had a good home, and that he enjoyed observing London and English life. Then came the famous sentence. In the same letter, he urged Theo to keep walking and loving nature, because that is how we learn to understand art.However, these letters were originally written in Dutch, so every English version uses different words, but the meaning and essence of his words have hardly aged.
How are his words relevant today?
Today it is difficult to remain content with what we already have; despite being surrounded by almost everything we need, many of us feel tired and still feel behind. Van Gogh’s words cut through that noise and ask us to name what actually inspires us and keeps us going, and to notice that much of it is free and just around us.
