Vincent van Gogh's early years as an artist

Journal/Book: J Adult Development. 1996; 3: 233 Spring St, New York, NY 10013. Plenum Publ Corp. 21-32.

Abstract: Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) was an artist for 10 years, from 1880 to 1890. As a mature artist, he was capable of executing works in a rapid fashion, sometimes up to three a day and requiring less than an hour for each. But it took him 9 years of deliberate repetition to evolve the competencies with which to execute his works rapidly. This paper examines the first 2 years of his artistic development, a period when he consciously set about to establish the foundations for his later production, including having an overall plan, establishing a skill for drawing before proceeding to painting, experimenting judiciously in a controlled manner, and amplifying novelty by varied repetition. All these factors are considered as ''work objectivity,'' which is the notion that regardless of how far-ranging his motivations might have been, he was objective and planful in an approach to the creative enterprise.

Note: Article R Brower, Wagner Coll, Dept Psychol, Campus Hall, Staten Isl, NY 10301 USA

Keyword(s): van Gogh; creativity; development; case study; biography

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