VINCENT van Gogh's impact on the world is undeniable. Famous today for his signature brushwork and vivid use of colour, most of the artist's works of art only became truly appreciated after his premature demise. His final words, "… the sadness will last forever," offer a window into his mental state, which both enhances and contrasts his oeuvre while presenting a greater insight into the man behind the paintings.
Now recognised as one of history's most talented artists, art enthusiasts around the world have been able to enjoy a larger-than-life portrayal of van Gogh's arresting canvas through the van Gogh "Alive" exhibition, which recently arrived on Malaysian shores.
In case you've yet to catch it, here's a suggestion to better appreciate the works of this artist: Get a bit of research done so that when you do go, you'll be able to have a deeper context about van Gogh and his work, which in turn, will shed some light on the paintings that you'll be immersed in.
Here are some trivia to help you along the way!
MAN OF MANY INTERESTS
Born on March 30, 1853, Vincent van Gogh was only an artist for the last decade of his life. He initially worked at his uncle's art dealing company, and later for the Goupil & Cie Gallery in London.
At one point, he considered following in his father's footsteps and becoming a minister. He even worked briefly as a school teacher. With neither success nor fulfilment, he decided to take up painting at the age of 27. And with almost no training, announced that he was an artist to his brother in 1880.
MAN WHO FOUGHT MANY DEMONS

Van Gogh fought many personal battles throughout his life. Evidence suggests that he faced manic depression, epilepsy, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. And despite coming from a middle-class family, he spent most of his life in poverty, surviving off cheap food. His diet consisted mostly of bread and coffee, although he was known to drink alcohol excessively and was never seen without a pipe in his hand.
MAN OF VARIOUS ART STYLES
Despite only being an artist in the last decade of his life, van Gogh is said to have created around 2,100 works, including approximately 900 paintings. This is especially impressive considering that most of his artwork was created over the last two years of his life.
He painted through the changes he found himself in, allowing his style to evolve. When he first started out, he painted mostly in dull colours and used farmers and peasants as subjects as he couldn't afford to pay models.
Later, he became a fan of the Japanese aesthetic and moved to the south of France to see "nature under a brighter sky" so that he could better understand the way the Japanese "feel and draw". This was when he painted The Bedroom.
Van Gogh was also known to be a staunch supporter of Post-Impressionist art, the French movement that was a departure from Impressionism and its concern for natural depictions of light and colour.
MAN IN AN ASYLUM

Having fought many demons during his lifetime, van Gogh checked himself into an asylum after a fight with a friend that saw him cutting off the lobe of his own ear. This was where he created his most famous masterpiece, Starry Night.
It's said that while in hospital, he'd spend days staring out from his barred window at the scenery below and painting. Starry Night is a culmination of this vista, combining his view on different days, and even at different times of the day. As he watched both the light and weather change, he combined his view of sunrise, moonrise, sunny days, overcast days, rainy days and even windy days to create the masterpiece so many people know and love today.
MAN WHO FOUND FAME AFTER LIFE
Sadly, Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting throughout his entire life. He died in 1890 from a gunshot wound and it was only when his brother died, six months after him, that his brother's wife Johanna van Gogh-Bonger dedicated her life to collecting his works and promoting it.
She published a collection of his letters in 1914 and it was thanks to her diligence and hard work that van Gogh's work finally began to receive recognition, leading to its prominence today. Ironically, despite the financial hardship and obscurity he faced in life, van Gogh created one of the most expensive paintings in history — his Portrait of Dr. Gachet sold for US$82.5 million in 1990.
Van Gogh "Alive" Exhibition is on until March 16 at Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Level 2, Orange Zone. For information on ticketing, visit www.vangogh.com.my.