Plato explains in his dialogue to Phaedrus that “Madness, provided it comes as the gift of heaven, is the channel by which we receive the greatest blessings . . . Madness comes from God, whereas sober sense is merely human” (Plato). For centuries, experts have wondered if there really is a link between mental illness and artistic success: in large part due to the seemingly high amount of successful artists who have suffered from a form of illness. While many people are familiar with the paintings “The Scream” and “Starry Night”, both which were sold for approximately $100 million dollars, few people actually know that the artists behind these famous pieces, Edvard Munch and Vincent Van Gogh, were among those blessed with God’s madness. Contemporaries,
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For both Munch and Van Gogh, childhood was but a blink of an eye. By the age of fifteen Munch’s mother and sister had died of tuberculosis, while Van Gogh’s family struggled financially, forcing the young boy to quit school and find work. Following the deaths in his family, Munch went to technical college to study engineering; though, after only a year he left to pursue his passion for art. In 1881, he attended the Royal School of Art and Design in London, and the following year, remained in London but rented a studio at the Industries and Art Exhibition with six fellow artists. Yet, even after finding a love of his creative side, Munch still struggled. Alcohol and mental distress stemmed from his devastating family predicament making happiness, even in his passion, a constant internal battle (Edvard Munch). Meanwhile, Van Gogh too fought a battle within himself, but his was a struggle to find where his passion lied. After leaving home, Van Gogh began working for his uncle’s art dealership, located on the western coast of the Netherlands. However, in 1873 he was …show more content…
Thus, like opening the window of a house in Wisconsin and seeing the Himalayas, Munch and Van Gogh’s mental illness gave them insight to a world those around them were incapable of seeing. The madness they exuded in reality turned to genius and those around them could only stare in amazement by their ability to transform ordinary paint into timeless masterpieces. Munch’s first painting to break from the realist style depicted the anguish he felt following the death of his beloved sister. Named “The Sick Child”, it was the turning point in Munch’s creative career. From 1892-1895 Munch completed twenty-two works that reflected the roller coaster that was his mental state: rightly named such things as “Anxiety”, “Jealousy”, and “Despair”. These works would later be shown in 1902 at a Berlin exhibit; literally bearing Munch’s
For both Munch and Van Gogh, childhood was but a blink of an eye. By the age of fifteen Munch’s mother and sister had died of tuberculosis, while Van Gogh’s family struggled financially, forcing the young boy to quit school and find work. Following the deaths in his family, Munch went to technical college to study engineering; though, after only a year he left to pursue his passion for art. In 1881, he attended the Royal School of Art and Design in London, and the following year, remained in London but rented a studio at the Industries and Art Exhibition with six fellow artists. Yet, even after finding a love of his creative side, Munch still struggled. Alcohol and mental distress stemmed from his devastating family predicament making happiness, even in his passion, a constant internal battle (Edvard Munch). Meanwhile, Van Gogh too fought a battle within himself, but his was a struggle to find where his passion lied. After leaving home, Van Gogh began working for his uncle’s art dealership, located on the western coast of the Netherlands. However, in 1873 he was …show more content…
Thus, like opening the window of a house in Wisconsin and seeing the Himalayas, Munch and Van Gogh’s mental illness gave them insight to a world those around them were incapable of seeing. The madness they exuded in reality turned to genius and those around them could only stare in amazement by their ability to transform ordinary paint into timeless masterpieces. Munch’s first painting to break from the realist style depicted the anguish he felt following the death of his beloved sister. Named “The Sick Child”, it was the turning point in Munch’s creative career. From 1892-1895 Munch completed twenty-two works that reflected the roller coaster that was his mental state: rightly named such things as “Anxiety”, “Jealousy”, and “Despair”. These works would later be shown in 1902 at a Berlin exhibit; literally bearing Munch’s