Vincent Van Gogh holds a special place in my list of admired artists. His captivating works and his exceptional use of color never fail to amaze me.
Yet, Van Gogh’s brilliance extends beyond his visual artistry; he is also renowned for his profound and insightful quotes about life and existence. These words offer a deeper glimpse into the mind of a man who was an extraordinary painter and a thoughtful observer of life’s complexities. Read on to learn more about Vincent Vang Gogh and some of his inspiring quotes.
Table of Contents
- About The Artist – Vincent Van Gogh
- Vincent Van Gogh – 42 Motivational & Inspiring Quotes
- Related Questions
About The Artist – Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent Willem Van Gogh was a very inspiring Dutch impressionist painter. He was a prolific painter, as in just over a decade, he created over 2,100 works of art, including about 860 oil paintings.
Besides his works of art, Vincent Van Gogh also left us with a legacy of many of his own words and thoughts. These motivational thoughts and quotes are still helpful for us to think about today.
What makes Vincent Van Gogh’s quotes so interesting is that Vincent Van Gogh did not have an easy life. He suffered from psychotic episodes and delusions. He worried about his mental health. He was known not to eat correctly, and he drank heavily.
During his lifetime, Van Gogh was considered a madman and a failure. It was not until after his suicide in 1890 that he started to become famous. He is often thought of as a misunderstood genius.
Yet despite all his heartaches, mental illness, and other problems, Vincent Van Gogh left us with a legacy of not only his art but also his words and thoughts. Words to remind us that no one is a failure and we all need to live up to our own creative genius.
We have curated for you our favorite 42 Vincent Van Gogh Quotes.
Vincent Van Gogh – 42 Motivational & Inspiring Quotes
“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. – Vincent Van Gogh
Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter’s soul. – Vincent Van Gogh
“I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” –Vincent Van Gogh
“How can I be useful of what service can I be? There is something inside me, what can it be?” –Vincent Van Gogh
“I see drawings and pictures in the poorest of huts and the dirtiest of corners.” –Vincent Van Gogh
“But I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things.” –Vincent Van Gogh
“I wish they would only take me as I am.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“When I have a terrible need of – shall I say the word – religion. Then I go out and paint the stars.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to, the feeling for the things themselves, for reality is more important than the feeling for pictures.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“A good picture is equivalent to a good deed.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“Conscience is a man’s compass.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“Love always brings difficulties, that is true, but the good side of it is that it gives energy.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“If boyhood and youth are but vanity, must it not be our ambition to become men?” – Vincent Van Gogh
“Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“Those Dutchmen had hardly any imagination or fantasy, but their good taste and their scientific knowledge of composition were enormous.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter’s soul.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“I am still far from being what I want to be, but with God’s help I shall succeed.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“One must work and dare if one really wants to live.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“I can very well do without God both in my life and in my painting, but I cannot, suffering as I am, do without something which is greater than I am, which is my life, the power to create.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“One may have a blazing hearth in one’s soul and yet no one ever came to sit by it. Passers-by see only a wisp of smoke from the chimney and continue on their way.” –Vincent Van Gogh
“As we advance in life it becomes more and more difficult, but in fighting the difficulties the inmost strength of the heart is developed.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“The best way to know God is to love many things.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“The way to know life is to love many things.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“Do not quench your inspiration and your imagination; do not become the slave of your model.” –Vincent Van Gogh
“It is better to be high-spirited even though one makes more mistakes, than to be narrow-minded and all too prudent.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing more artistic than to love others.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“An artist needn’t be a clergyman or a churchwarden, but he certainly must have a warm heart for his fellow men.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“In spite of everything I shall rise again: I will take up my pencil, which I have forsaken in my great discouragement, and I will go on with my drawing.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“I dream of painting and then I paint my dream.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.” –Vincent Van Gogh
“There is no blue without yellow and without orange.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“Poetry surrounds us everywhere, but putting it on paper is, alas, not so easy as looking at it.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“If one is master of one thing and understands one thing well, one has at the same time, insight into and understanding of many things.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“Even the knowledge of my own fallibility cannot keep me from making mistakes. Only when I fall do I get up again.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“There may be a great fire in our hearts, yet no one ever comes to warm himself at it, and the passers-by see only a wisp of smoke.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“I experience a period of frightening clarity in those moments when nature is so beautiful. I am no longer sure of myself, and the paintings appear as in a dream.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“Painting is a faith, and it imposes the duty to disregard public opinion.” –Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent Van Gogh left us all with a wonderful legacy of his artwork but also his thoughts and words of wisdom. I find his quotes and thoughts inspiring for artists everywhere.
Related Questions
Why Was Impressionism Art at First Rejected?
During the start of impressionism art, fine art oil painting was an extremely important addition to the interior design of a home, especially for the affluent and the increasing arrival of the middle classes. For these art patrons, there were only some very specific styles or types of art that were considered acceptable for them to use for the interior design of their home. Impressionism art did not fit into any of these culturally acceptable fine art categories.
To learn more about this, you can read our blog Why Was Impressionism Art at First Rejected? by clicking here.
Who is the Swedish Artist Hilma af Klint?
Hilma af Klint was a Swedish woman artist who was painting revolutionary modern artwork for her time. She was a trailblazing, creative figure who kept her art and paintings secret for many years. Despite her amazing works of art and the legacy she left us, it has only been during the last 40 years that she has started to gain international acclaim.
You can find out more about Hilma af Klint by reading our blog Who is the Swedish Artist Hilma af Klint (1862-1944)? by clicking here,
