Vincent van GoghDutch, 1853–1890

Vincent van Gogh’s energetic brushstrokes, vibrant palettes, and free-flowing forms turned the artist’s scenes into dynamic evocations of the artist’s inner life and extensive studies. His landscapes, portraits, still lifes, and interiors are among art history’s most recognizable and influential works. 

Van Gogh’s signature style exemplified the tenets of Post-Impressionism and influenced German Expressionism and the development of modernism itself. Van Gogh did not find much success in his lifetime, but after his death in 1890, his works began to garner cachet thanks to the skillful promotion of his sister-in-law, Jo van Gogh-Bonger. 

Van Gogh’s paintings belong in the collections of institutions such as the Art Institute of Chicago, the Tate, the Museum of Modern Art, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and they consistently sell for tens of millions on the secondary market.