Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) was born in Zundert in the Netherlands and only became a painter at the age of 27. He worked as an art dealer, a teacher and a preacher before deciding to devote his life to art.

After dark early years in Nuenen, he moved to Paris and then to Arles, where his palette exploded into bright yellows and deep blues. In just ten years he made around 900 paintings. He sold almost nothing during his lifetime, yet today he is one of the most loved artists in the world.