Comparism And Post Impressionism

Impressionism and Post-Impressionism; two artistic periods that have very similar names, yet had very different styles. Impressionism represents the rebellion of artists against the common standards of the time, instead hoping to show the way that light interacts with the subject, especially landscapes (Maylon “Artists by Movement: Impressionism”). On the other, Post-Impressionism built off of the foundation of Impressionism, yet took the building in a completely different direction, using their art to achieve a purpose and go deeper than a simple painting of a pond (Maylon “Artists by Movement: Post-Impressionism”). However, artists from both periods achieved meteoric fame, etching their names into the book of important art history. So, while …show more content…
He did not know it yet, but, someday, nearly everybody around the world would know the name of Vincent van Gogh. Named after his deceased older brother, van Gogh was saddled with this burden his entire life, a constant reminder to his parents of their loss. However, from a young age, art was always a large presence in Vincent’s life. He worked in his uncle’s art school from 15 years old and spent a large amount of time in art museums when he moved to London. After coming out of a period where he hated art and considered becoming a minister, Vincent van Gogh taught himself art from books, never going to a formal academy. However, his art never took off, forcing him to move into his brother Theo’s home in 1886. Interestingly, Theo was known to talk to his brother about the great work that Impressionists, like Monet, had done. This is where van Gogh even took some of his inspiration, using the colors and lighting of the Impressionists. Unfortunately, the instability of his career forced van Gogh into a mental decline around 1888, into a time when he would eat paint and drink turpentine. It was during this time that he committed an act that is perhaps better known to people than his art – cutting off his ear and giving it to a prostitute. After this event, it was decided that Vincent would live an asylum. Here he continued his art, even creating one of his greatest masterpieces, Starry Night. However, on July 27, 1890, Vincent van Gogh committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest. He did not die immediately, but was rather sent to the hospital. Theo came to pick him up, and they spent his last two days together. The official date of van Gogh’s death was July 29, 1890. Although Vincent van Gogh died considerably young, only 37, he still left a legacy with us that will far outlive the lifespan of any one human being (Biography.com Editors “Vincent van Gogh Biography.com”