Van Gogh Mysteries

The Unsuccessful Brother

It is well known that Vincent van Gogh did not experience commercial success during his life, which ended in tragedy. His artist brother Theo was in fact more successful, and was an influence to Vincent. Legend has it that he was able to sell a few paintings while he was alive. Careful review of his own letters and correspondence of other people who knew him indicate clearly that he did sell a few pieces in his lifetime. The bulk of his work was created in a ten year span, some of them while he was in a mental hospital, others during even more desperate periods. All of them are not accounted for or their nature known.

Love Life

Everyone who is enthralled with the work of Vincent van Gogh knows the tale of how he lost his ear. Legend says that Vincent cut his ear off and gave it to a girlfriend as a present; some tales say that she worked in an art store. Others say that she lived to be well over 114-years-old, and told the tale of her unusual gift to anyone who would lend an ear, so to say. Some historical accounts say that he gave the ear to a prostitute named Rachel, ordering her to “keep this object carefully,” though it isn’t known what his true relationship to her was.

Vincent suffered much rejection as a suitor during his life, which no doubt added to his inner turmoil and emotional and psychological disorders. During his life, he was rejected by his landlady's daughter, Eugénie Loyer and his older cousin Kee Vos-Stricker. It is said that after being rejected by his cousin Kee, Vincent held his hand in a flame and burned himself in a fit of depression. This act gives certain merit to the tale of his “gift” of an ear.

While he never married, Vincent did have significant, though damaging, relationships with women. He was involved with an alcoholic prostitute named Clasina Maria Hoornik (known as Sien) in 1882, who was pregnant at the time and also mother to a five-year-old daughter. This relationship was discouraged by his family, and Vincent felt a significant amount of pressure to leave Hoornik. Shortly thereafter, Vincent spent a summer in the hospital plagued with gonorrhea, no doubt a product of his relationship with Hoornik. He eventually left the prostitute and her children in 1883.

Another significant relationship in Vincent’s life was with Margot Begemann, a neighbor’s daughter whom was ten years older than van Gogh. Vincent met Margot in 1884, and they too had a tumultuous relationship. They talked of marriage, but when both families opposed, Margot tried to kill herself with strychnine.

There is no evidence that van Gogh was a homosexual or engaged in deviant sexual behaviors (besides his relationship with prostitutes that is). Like with so many other artists, there has been some speculation regarding his sexuality, but it is most likely that he was simply socially awkward and mentally unsound and could not carry on a normal relationship as a result. It is likely that he had relationships with some of his models (as he was in one occasion accused of impregnating one of them).

Lost and Unknown Paintings

Ravine

In 2007, researchers discovered a previously unknown work by Vincent van Gogh underneath one of his own paintings. As was common practice, Vincent would reuse canvases to save money, and often painted over his mistakes. One such painting was “Ravine.” Researchers discovered a completely different painting underneath this one through the use of x-rays:

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