Van Gogh Was A Pastor Before He Was A Painter
Exploring the journey from the Missionary to the Madman (Part 1).
(Series: Article N0. 1)
Vincent van Gogh gave his life in pursuit of passion and purpose. He put onto canvas paintings of intense emotion through colour, texture and imagery. Although largely ignored in his lifetime, Van Gogh is now one of the most famous artists of all time, and his paintings are worth millions. He believed in the power of nature and the value of humanity that could be found through the simple love of everyday life.
This three-part series will detail Van Gogh’s life, his triumphs and tragedies, unfolding his journey from the missionary to the madman.
The Missionary
In 1879, Vincent van Gogh was not a famous artist, nor was he recognised for any creative genius; he was instead expelled from his missionary position with the church in the Belgian Borinage. The official reason given was that his speech was not eloquent enough to be a preacher, but in truth, he did not behave according to the expectations of the institutional church. This rejection from the clergy pushed him into the direction for which he is so well known. Van Gogh, the artist, rose to become the painter whose artworks have touched the hearts of…
