He made many drawings and received his first painting lessons from the well-known artist Anton Mauve, a cousin by marriage. In these early years Van Gogh mostly used dark tones for his drawings and paintings primarily of farming scenes. After studying briefly in Antwerp, Van Gogh moved to Paris, where he encountered Impressionism and Pointillism. He developed a style, defined by short brushstrokes to juxtapose vivid, unmixed colours. In 1888 he moved to the sunny south of France. Van Gogh struggled with mental health issues that led to him being hospitalised – but that didn’t stop him painting. It was only after his death in 1890 that his work reached a wider public and his fame grew around the world.
Getting started with the collection: