Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Vincent van Gogh (Dutch Painter)

Vincent Willem van Gogh (1853–90) was a Dutch painter. He is now considered one of the most eminent of post-Impressionist painters, although he was not widely appreciated in his lifetime.

Van Gogh was initially a preacher in a mining community in southern Belgium and decided to become an artist at the age of 27. He moved around Europe, teaching himself to draw and paint, and taking financial support from his younger brother Theo.

Van Gogh completed more than 2,100 works, consisting of 860 oil paintings and more than 1,300 watercolors, drawings, and sketches. After years of depression and frequent bouts of mental illness, he cut off part of his ear. At age 37, he shot himself, just when his work was beginning to be acknowledged.

Van Gogh remained poor and practically unknown throughout his life. He wrote thousands of letters to his brother Theo throughout his life. His post-impressionist work was deeply influenced by contact with impressionist painting and Japanese woodcuts. His most famous pictures include several studies of sunflowers. His paintings, notable for their beauty, emotion, and color, and a unique sense of observation, greatly influenced 20th-century art.

More: Wikipedia READ: Works by Vincent van Gogh

The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Acceptance, Risk, Fear, Anxiety, Danger

A good picture is equivalent to a good deed.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Good Deeds, Photography, Deeds, Goodness

I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Dedication, Commitment

How to achieve such anomalies, such alterations and re-fashionings of reality so what comes out of it are lies, if you like, but lies that are more than literal truth.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Reality

Love is something eternal; the aspect may change, but not the essence.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Love

Painting is a faith, and it imposes the duty to disregard public opinion.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Painting, Art, Public opinion, Painters

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Bravery, Courage to Begin, Courage

A weaver who has to direct and to interweave a great many little threads has no time to philosophize about it, but rather he is so absorbed in his work that he doesn’t think but acts, and he feels how things must go more than he can explain it.
Vincent van Gogh

The more I think it over, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Love, Feelings

It is with the reading of books the same as with looking at pictures; one must, without doubt, without hesitations, with assurance, admire what is beautiful.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Books

One may have a blazing hearth in one’s soul and yet no one ever came to sit by it. Passers-by see only a wisp of smoke from the chimney and continue on their way.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Soul

Even the knowledge of my own fallibility cannot keep me from making mistakes. Only when I fall do I get up again.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Mistakes

One must work and dare if one really wants to live.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Work

Life is not long for anybody, and the problem is only to make something of it.
Vincent van Gogh

When I have a terrible need of – shall I say the word – religion. Then I go out and paint the stars.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Imagination

I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Art, Night

It is a pity that, as one gradually gains experience, one loses one’s youth.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Experience, Youth

Conscience is a man’s compass.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Conscience, One liners

When we are working at a difficult task and strive after a good thing, we are fighting a righteous battle, the direct reward of which is that we are kept from much evil. As we advance in life it becomes more and more difficult, but in fighting the difficulties the inmost strength of the heart is developed.
Vincent van Gogh

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.
Vincent van Gogh

The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing more artistic than to love others.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Love

I am not an adventurer by choice but by fate.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Adventure

I wish they would only take me as I am.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Acceptance, Wishes, One liners

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.
Vincent van Gogh

If you hear a voice within you saying, “You are not a painter,” then by all means paint… and that voice will be silenced.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Confidence, Self-talk

If one were to say but few words, though ones with meaning, one would do better than to say many that were only empty sounds, and just as easy to utter as they were of little use.
Vincent van Gogh

Let’s not forget that the little emotions are the great captains of our lives and we obey them without realizing it.
Vincent van Gogh

Love always brings difficulties, that is true, but the good side of it is that it gives energy.
Vincent van Gogh

I dream my painting and paint my dream.
Vincent van Gogh
Topics: Dream, Vision

What has changed is that my life then was less difficult and my future seemingly less gloomy, but as far as my inner self, my way of looking at things and of thinking is concerned, that has not changed. But if there has indeed been a change, then it is that I think, believe and love more seriously now what I thought, believed and loved even then.
Vincent van Gogh

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