The Fruiting Body

Vincent van Gogh(born March 30, 1853, Zundert, Netherlands—died July 29, 1890, Auvers-sur-Oise, near Paris, France) was a Dutch painter, generally considered the greatest afterRembrandt van Rijn, and one of the greatest of thePost-Impressionists. The striking color, emphatic brushwork, andcontouredforms of his work powerfully influenced the current ofExpressionisminmodern art.

Van Gogh’s art became astoundingly popular after his death, especially in the late 20th century, when his work sold for record-breaking sums at auctions around the world and was featured in blockbuster touring exhibitions. In part because of his extensive published letters, van Gogh has also been mythologized in the popular imagination as the quintessential tortured artist.