Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890)
Young Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890)
The connection between the artist Vincent van Gogh and South Africa is the
death of Vincent's youngest brother Cor during the Anglo-Boer War in the small
town of
The artist Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890) studied theology, but mostly failed, although he did do the rounds preaching. His Van Gogh ancestors were always heavily involved in religion and the arts.
His mother was Anna Cornelia Carbentus (1819 - 1907), and his father Theodorus Lucas Van Gogh (1822-1885)
His grandfather's name was also Vincent van Gogh, and he had an older brother born on 30 March 1852, but died at birth. This eerie coincidence of a brother born on exactly the same date, a year before, seems to have haunted the artist somewhat.
His brothers and sisters were:
- Theodorus (Theo) (1 May 1857 - 25 January 1891) [brother, 4 years younger]
- Anna Cornelia van Gogh (17 February 1855 - 20 September 1930) [sister]
- Elizabeth van Gogh (16 March 1859 - 29 November 1936) [sister]
- Wilhelmina Jacoba van Gogh (1862 - 1941) [sister; she was institutionalised into an asylum, where she died]
- Cornelius van Gogh (17 May 1867 - 24 April 1900) [brother, 14 years younger]
It is generally claimed that the artist Vincent suffered from some mental illness. His sister Wilhelmina was institutionalised and it is possible that some form of emotional problem existed in the family. Because of this, some claim that Cornelius van Gogh did not die of illness in Brandfort, but that he committed suicide.