Vincent van Gogh: Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear, Easel and Japanese Print (Cropped), Oil on Canvas, 60 × 49 cm, Painted in Arles, France, January 1889. Courtauld Institute Galleries, London.


He began late and died young. Yet, over a span of 10 years, Vincent van Goghcompleted nearly 900 paintings and 1,100 sketches, lithographs, and other works.
The troubled Dutch artist became obsessed with his subjects and returned to them again and again, painting near duplicates of sunflowers or cypress trees. With manic brushstrokes and dramatic flourishes of his palette knife, van Gogh carried Post-Impressionism into new realms. He received little recognition during his life, but now his work sells for millions and is reproduced on posters, t-shirts, and coffee mugs. Even a feature-length animated film celebrates van Gogh's compelling images.