In the Footsteps of Vincent van Gogh

 

📖 Course Description – The World of Vincent van Gogh

Follow the dramatic journey of Vincent van Gogh, one of history’s most brilliant yet tormented artists. In 15 captivating lectures, explore his early years in Brabant, artistic awakening in Antwerp and Paris, and mature creativity in Arles and Provence. Trace his intense friendships, family struggles, and moments of crisis, including his time at Saint-Rémy and his final days in Auvers-sur-Oise.

Alongside moving stories of his life, discover how Van Gogh transformed peasant life, landscapes, and portraits into masterpieces of light, color, and emotion—from The Potato Eaters to The Starry Night. Guided by expert insight, you’ll understand how his genius reshaped art history and why his works are now among the most valuable and admired in the world.

📚 Course Lectures

1. The World of Vincent van Gogh – Life, mysteries, and the questions behind his art and tragedy (21 min)

2. Early Years in Brabant – Childhood, languages, first art class, and Brabant’s lasting influence (22 min)

3. The Turn toward Art – From ministry to art, guided by mentors; family tensions and scandals (23 min)

4. The Nuenen Period – Peasant life as inspiration; prolific output left behind in Nuenen (25 min)

5. Vincent in Antwerp – Antwerp Academy, light and color experiments, transition from Hague period (18 min)

6. The Paris Art Scene in the 1880s – Theo’s crucial role; Impressionism’s growth; Manet and friends (24 min)

7. Vincent and Theo in Paris – Life with Theo in Montmartre; exposure to new movements (22 min)

8. Vincent and the Post-Impressionists – Friendships and influence: Seurat, Bernard, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec (24 min)

9. The Spring of Provence – Move to Arles; the Yellow House; style beyond Impressionism (20 min)

10. Vincent’s Classical Period – Bold colors; search for companionship; Gauguin’s arrival (20 min)

11. The Studio of the South – Crisis, ear incident, collapse of Yellow House experiment (22 min)

12. The Asylum at Saint-Rémy – Illness and confinement; creation of The Starry Night (23 min)

13. The Art World in 1890 – Recognition grows; Brussels exhibition; Paris reception (20 min)

14. Vincent in Auvers-sur-Oise – Mature works, portraits of Dr. Gachet; guilt and loneliness (24 min)

15. An End and a Beginning – Theories of his death; final hours; posthumous rise to fame (32 min)