It just came to my knowledge that the song "starry starry night" was about Vincent Willem van Gogh, one of the greatest Post-Impressionist artist of all time. Knowing that, I went to read up a little on Vincent and realised his life has truly been a sad one, especially in the last few years of his life leading to his suicide. He was given the same name as a first brother stillborn exactly one year before his birth. It has been suggested that being given the same name as his dead elder brother might have had a deep psychological impact on the young artist, and that elements of his art, such as the portrayal of pairs of male figures could be a result of this. Vincent's life can be described as dark, gloomy, frugal and sad. Perhaps it is with these emotions that he could create masterpieces such as The Starry Night and Vase with Twelve Sunflowers.
Through his story, I also learnt about true brotherhood. Theodorus "Theo" van Gogh was the younger brother of Vincent van Gogh. His unfailing financial support for his brother allowed Vincent to devote himself entirely to painting. Theo was one of the few who truly understood what Vincent was going through and constantly encouraged him through letters. A true measure of how much he cared for his elder brother could be seen after Vincent's suicide on July 27, 1890. Just 3 days later, Theo suffered from depression and mental confusion because of the event. This ultimately lead to his death on 25 January 1891.
ps: VIVIEN told me that.
