Famous Suicides: Vincent Van Gogh
Wikimedia CommonsSelf-portrait of Vincent van Gogh.
Now largely considered one of the greatest painters ever, Vincent van Gogh was relatively unknown and poor during his life, and he was mentally troubled. As far as famous suicides go, at least his ushered in fame, as Van Gogh’s art is widely recognized to have become popular only after his death.
Born on March 30, 1853, van Gogh’s passion for art and his struggles with mental illness started from a young age. During his life he completed 2,100 works — a combination of paintings, drawings, and sketches.
Van Gogh was in and out of hospitals and asylums throughout his adult life. One of his earlier trips to the hospital came after he cut off his own ear and gifted it to a prostitute.
His famous painting The Starry Night was actually completed while he was in an asylum in Saint-Rémy, France in 1889.
Wikimedia CommonsThe Starry Night, painted in 1889.
Towards the end of his life, van Gogh was living off coffee, bread, and absinthe, which caused his physical health to deteriorate.
His lifetime of struggling came to a crescendo on July 27, 1890. He had gone out in the morning to paint, carrying a loaded pistol with him. He shot himself in the chest, but the bullet did not kill the artist right away.
Wikimedia CommonsThe view of the Asylum and the Chapel of Saint-Rémy as painted by van Gogh.
He returned to the place where he was staying at the time and was later found injured in his room. He was then taken to a hospital and his brother Theo was called.
After two days in the hospital, an infection had set in and van Gogh died in his brother’s arms on July 29 at the age of 37.
There has been much speculation over the death of van Gogh with some theories even suggesting that someone else fired the bullet that ended up killing him. However, because van Gogh was so unknown during his time, every account of his famous suicide tells a slightly different story.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or use their 24/7 Lifeline Crisis Chat.
