by T Stephens

Created on: June 11, 2010   Last Updated: June 14, 2010

Vincent Van Gogh born March 30,1853 in Groot Zundert in the Netherlands. He was not the first born child he had an older brother born exactly one year before him and he was also named Vincent. The first Vincent Van Gogh was stillborn. Leading many psychologists to belive that some of the eccentricities of Vincent Van Gogh were due in part to having the same birth date and name as his deceased brother.

Vincent's father Theodorus Van Gogh was a pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church. His mother was Anna Cornelia Carbentus. Not much is known about Van Gogh's life until he began boarding school for two years in Zewenbergen and then two more at a school in Tilburg. 1868 is the year in which Van Gogh abandoned his studies.

The Van Gogh family was associated with art before Vincent came along. Their association was as art dealers not artist. Vincent joined the art dealing firm of Goupil and Cie in 1869. He worked along side his uncles Cornelis and Vincent and his younger brother Theo for seven years. Despite his success Vincent wanted more. He was transferred to London and fell in love with the culture there. In August of the same year Van Gogh moved to 87 Hackford Road and became a border at the home of Ursula Loyer along with her daughter Eugenie. Rumors have been banned about that Van Gogh was in love with one of these women but no proof of that has ever been shown.

Vincent was transferred to Paris in 1875. Vincent was miserable in selling paintings. In early 1876 Van Gogh decided to quit his job and return to England where he had been happy. Vincent Van Gogh became a teacher. He also became devoted to god. He enjoyed visiting art galleries in his spare time. Vincent began to make a shift from teacher to pastor. Vincent had a passion for preaching but could not deliver it with the same veracity as his father.

Vincent wen to see his family Christmas and decided to stay. He got a job in a book shop in 1877 and then in may went to Amsterdam to take an admission exam for college. He planned to study theology. He took lessons in Latin and Algebra and although proficient he left his studies yet again a year and a half later.

At the start of 1879 Van Gogh started preaching in a small village. He felt an attachment to the people of the village. Most of the people were miners and He felt for there suffering. He gave his food and clothes to those without and the church looked down on this. He was dismissed from preaching but he stayed in the area for a while. Vincent lived

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