Vincent Van Gogh: Identity Crisis and Creativity

The lives of certain artists such as Van Gogh and Goya reveal dramatic changes in their art style as a consequence of both environmental vicissitudes and inner psychic conflicts. Such changes radically spell the difference between their designation as talented craftsmen and their evolution into outstanding geniuses and innovators in the field of art.

Niederland8 has documented the marked change in Goya's work following his reaction to the loss of his mistress, the Countess of Alba. Similarly, we can say that Van Gogh's work was not remarkable for its creative genius until he struggled with certain latent conflicts that emerged after his father's death, his brother Theo's marriage, and the birth of Theo's son.

Had Van Gogh been more successful in his identification with father in the pursuit of the ministry, which was obviously his first love, it is likely that he would have devoted his life to preaching and the care of the poverty-stricken. As such, his talent for art would probably never have been developed, certainly not to the heights that he ultimately achieved.

Van Gogh's tortured life has been well described by his biographers, Tralbaut, H. R. Graetz, Nagera, Meyer Shapiro and others, and in Van Gogh's own autobiographical memoirs. All have stressed the traumatic impact of his learning that his mother had given birth on the exact date one year before, March 30, 1852, to a boy who was given the same name. In fact, the number on Vincent's birth certificate, No. 29, was the same as that for his older deceased brother. Reports are not clear as to whether this was a stilbirth or whether the child lived for a few days. It has been noted Vincent's parents were very depressed throughout the year following Vincent's birth.

The first Vincent was buried in his father's church and little Vincent would pass the tombstone every Sunday morning bearing his own name. Much has been written on survivor