One of the greatest painters of the nineteenth century was Vincent van Gogh. The post-impressionist artist was born in Holland and lived between 1 853 and 1890. The son of a Calvinist pastor, at age 22 began to preach in Borinage mines, where he drew and painted the place workers with a highly expressive on the line and the figure of the characters. In 1886 he went to Paris, where he met the Impressionist and began to paint outdoors with brighter colors and looser brushwork. Spiritually and financially supported by his brother Theo, had several psychiatric hospitalizations that prevented him from continuing his work. His most important is for the last 10 years of his life, which include paintings made with pure colors applied by strong, rhythmic strokes.
Among the most important works are The Potato Eaters, Sunflowers, Coffee Night, Self-portrait with cut ear, Church of Auvers-sur-Oise and wheat fields with crows.
The work of Van Gogh led to an art movement that emerged in France at the beginning of the twentieth century Fauvism. The first exhibition of this group was held in Paris in 1904.