Early years: from the Netherlands to the decision to paint
A readable overview of van Gogh’s early path — work, study, and the moment he chose painting as a vocation.
Before the painter
Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) did not start as an artist in the conventional sense. In his twenties he tried several paths — including art dealing, teaching, and religious work — before committing himself fully to drawing and painting.
Learning by doing
When he decided to become an artist around 1880, he approached the problem with intense discipline. He copied prints, studied anatomy and perspective, and practiced drawing people at work. The focus was not “style” yet — it was structure: how bodies sit, how hands hold tools, how light shapes form.
Subjects and empathy
Early subjects often come from everyday life: workers, peasants, and quiet interiors. This interest in ordinary people never disappears, even when his color later becomes brighter and his brushwork more expressive.
Why it matters
Understanding the early years helps explain why the later paintings feel both emotional and built. Under the vivid color, there is usually a strong underlying drawing.