Lust for Life

Vincent trains to follow in his father’s footsteps as a minister, but church authorities deem him unsuitable for clerical work. They refuse to appoint him to any official position and instead send him to a very poor mining community. This rejection pushes him toward a broader, more compassionate calling beyond the pulpit.

He moves into the mining community and becomes deeply absorbed in the miners’ daily life. He witnesses their hardship firsthand and begins sketching their routines and struggles. The experience marks the start of his commitment to depicting ordinary people's plight.

After some time away, he returns to his father’s house seeking stability. A woman he loves, his cousin, rejects him because he cannot support himself financially. In a desperate gesture of devotion, he places his hand over a candle flame, hoping to prove his commitment, but she remains unmoved and refuses to see him again.

He turns to drawing as a means of expression and solace. Anton Mauve provides paints and art materials and encourages him to paint, offering practical support and belief in his talent. This encouragement becomes a turning point toward serious artistic work.

Vincent's brother Theo van Gogh offers steady financial and moral support, helping him to pursue painting despite hardship. The brothers' partnership sustains his practice and keeps him attached to the possibility of a career. This familial backing is crucial to his ongoing artistic development.

He briefly becomes involved with a prostitute, seeking companionship amid poverty. The relationship dissolves when money runs out, underscoring his precarious finances. These experiences deepen his emotional vulnerability and sense of isolation.

He dedicates himself to painting, but struggles to render on canvas what he actually sees. The process is meticulous and fraught with frustration, yet it also fuels his relentless pursuit of light and color. He labors at the easel, hoping to capture truth beyond mere likeness.

After their father's death, he travels to Paris with Theo, where he encounters the Impressionists and a broader avant-garde. The new milieu broadens his artistic horizons and influences his technique. Theo continues to support him as he absorbs these influences.

In Paris, Paul Gauguin joins him for a spell, and their collaboration brings vitality to his work. The two clash, and Gauguin eventually leaves for good. Following the fallout, Vincent commits a traumatic act by severing his own ear.

A mental collapse leads to seizures, and he voluntarily admits himself to a mental institution where he is allowed to paint. The sterile setting provides a new, constrained space for his creative expression. This period contrasts with his previous bursts of inspiration.

He signs himself out and returns to a rural area with Theo's assistance to resume painting. The rural setting offers fresh light and forms that inspire his work anew. He continues to create landscapes, moving away from city subjects.

While painting cornfields, he is tormented by the sight of crows and the inability to translate what he sees to canvas. In a moment of despair, he pulls out a revolver and shoots himself. He dies in bed a few days later, marking the end of his turbulent life.