Paintings of Vincent van Gough

Vincent van Gogh is among the world’s most famous artists. He painted nine of the top ninety-seven most expensive paintings sold in the world (to date), and six of those were composed in one year—1889—an unprecedented accomplishment in the world of art.

The Red Vineyard, painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1888.
Public Domain

Over the last decade of his life (1880-1890) he created 2,100 works of art, including 860 oil paintings. Yet, the only painting he sold during his lifetime is the one above, and he died a pauper, in obscurity, presumably committing suicide at 37. I’ve featured several of his paintings in my last two blog posts on the subject of sowing and reaping, and this Sunday I’ll feature another one.

Irises, painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1889. Public Domain

Alan and I have collected tea cups from around the world, and it was a huge disappointment when I broke the handle on a teacup from the Cotswolds of England that showcased van Gogh’s painting, Irises. I glued the handle back on, but it’s not safe to use with hot tea, so it now brightens the corner cupboard in our kitchen—a fitting tribute to (and reminder of) the beauty and tragedy of Vincent van Gogh.

Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers painted by Van Gogh in 1889.
Public Domain

If you’re not familiar with his story, I highly recommend two artistically produced dramatizations of his life:

Loving Vincent is a recent account of the last years of van Gogh’s life, entirely animated with hand-painted frames in van Gogh’s vibrant style. It’s cleverly created, stunning, and poignant.

Willem Dafoe does a brilliant job of portraying Vincent van Gogh’s last years of life in the 2018 account, At Eternity’s Gate.

I agree with this explanation, given by Astor Theatre:

In this rendition, we learn (true story) that van Gogh tried to give his sketch book to a friend as a gift, but instead of being received properly, a servant took the present and simply placed it on a shelf, where it remained in obscurity until it was discovered 120 years later, in 2016!

What makes me relate a bit of his story to you today is as “the perfect” illustration of last Sunday’s meditation on the commands of Christ: “Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn’” (Matthew 13:30, ESV). Vincent van Gogh was the son of a minister and from a deeply religious, upper-middle-class family. As a young adult, he was intensely religious himself, and even spent time doing mission work.

However, van Gogh also suffered from psychotic episodes, delusions, and depression, was generally considered a misfit in society, made himself ill from alcohol and smoking, and is thought to have probably committed suicide at age 37.

There was such a passion about him . . . a genius . . . a mystic. He was both the “tortured artist” and the highly sensitive, compassionate man. Most of his paintings are full of light and brilliant color on themes of natural beauty and the wonder of God’s great earth . . . themes perfectly consistent with his Christian faith.

Vincent van Gogh’s Acker mit pflügenden Bauern, painted in 1889. Public Domain

On the other hand, his personal life became a shambles, and had it not been for the support and love of his younger brother, Theo, he would never have had the means to become the prolific painter that he became.

So, spiritually, as in Jesus’s parable, was Vincent van Gogh “wheat” or “weed”?

Vincent Van Gogh’s The Sower with Setting Sun.1888. Public Domain.
In the Van Gogh Museum of Amsterdam

“You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:16). If his “good works” are his paintings, then there is everything about his themes that speak of Christ and God. If we are looking for spiritual fruit, at one point he gave his home to a homeless man and slept on a bed of straw. On the other hand, he did a lot of disreputable things too!

Vincent van Gogh’s painting, Les Alyscamps. Allee in Arles1.1888. Public Domain.

Vincent van Gogh is perhaps more of a spiritual enigma than most, but do you suppose you will see him at Eternity’s Gate? More importantly, do you know whether or not you, yourself will come to Eternity’s Gate? Will you be among the wheat, or do you fear you might be among the “weeds” that will be bound “in bundles to be burned” (Matthew 13:30)?

Still Life with Bible—My Dream, by Vincent van Gogh, 1885. Public Domain.

Thankfully, the Bible tells us that “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). No matter who we are or what we’ve done, Christ died for each and every one of us, to redeem us, and if you are willing to repent of your sins and trust Christ to save you, He will! If you want more information on how to be assured that you will come to and pass safely through Eternity’s Gate, please click on the “Coming to Christ” icon at the top of this page. This coming Sunday, I will also be sharing more on the subject.