CHRONOLOGY

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1853

March 30: Birth of Vincent Willem van Gogh in Zundert in the southern province of North Brabant, in the Netherlands, the eldest son of Theodorus van Gogh, a pastor of the Dutch Reformed church.

1857

Birth of Vincent's brother, Theo.

1869

Begins working at the Hague gallery of the French art dealers Goupil & Cie.

1872

First letters to Theo. Van Gogh will write about seven hundred of them until his death.

1873

Transferred to the London branch of Goupil.

First visit to Paris.

1875

Transferred to Paris.

1876

Dismissed by Boussod & Valadon, which succeeded Goupil & Cie. Becomes a teacher and then an assistant preacher in England.

1877

Moves to Amsterdam to study theology.

1878

Gives up his studies. Moves to the Borinage coal-mining region in the south of Belgium to do evangelical work.

1880

Decides to become an artist. Studies at the Brussels Academy for nine months.

Theo begins helping him financially.

1881

Moves to live with his parents in Etten in North Brabant.

In late November moves to The Hague to study with painter Anton Mauve.

1882

Liaison with prostitute Sien Hoornik.

First oil paintings.

1883

Breaks off with Sien.

Moves to the village of Nuenen, in North Brabant, to live with his parents.

1885

Death of his father.

Enrolls for a few months at the academy in Antwerp.

1886

Moves to Paris, where he lives with his brother.

Meets Toulouse-Lautrec and Gauguin.

1887

Organizes an exhibition of Japanese woodcuts at the Café du Tambourin.

Meets Seurat.

1888

In February, moves to Arles in Provence.

In October, Gauguin visits him.

During a mental breakdown (probably an epileptic seizure), Van Gogh cuts off his left earlobe.

His paintings are included in the Salon des Indépendants, Paris.

1889

Enters the asylum of Saint-Rémy as a voluntary patient.

1890

In January, sells his first picture.

First article devoted to his work (enthusiastic).

In May, moves to Auvers-sur-Oise near Paris.

July 27: Shoots himself in the chest; dies two days later.

1891

Death of Theo.

1892

First retrospective exhibition in the Netherlands.

1893

First publication of Vincent's letters.

1910

First biography, by Julius Meier-Graefe.

1913

Margaret E. F. Irwin, How Many Miles to Babylon?, first novel inspired by Van Gogh's life.

1935

First Van Gogh exhibition in the United States (Museum of Modern Art, New York).

1937

Irving Stone, Lust for Life: The Novel of Vincent van Gogh, best-seller on the life of Van Gogh.

1956

Lust for Life, first screen drama (by Vincente Minelli, starring Kirk Douglas), based on Stone's novel.

1973

Opening of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

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For more information about Van Gogh, go to the Van Gogh Information page.