Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist artist who was born on 30 March, 1853 in Groot-Zundert, a village close to Breda in the province of North Brabant in the southern Netherlands.

He came from a family of artist as art and religion were the two occupations to which the Van Gogh family gravitated. In his early adult years, he worked for a firm of art dealers and at the age of 20, was earning more than his father. After working as a teacher for a brief period, Vincent became a missionary worker in a very poor mining region. But it was not until 1880 that he embarked upon a career as an artist.

Having produced over 2,000 works, including around 900 paintings and 1,100 drawings and sketches, during the last ten years of his life, Van Gogh’s paintings are now among the world's best known, most popular and expensive works of art. However, it was mainly in his last two years that he created his most famous paintings. It was also during this time that he cut off part of his left ear following a breakdown in his friendship with Paul Gauguin. He then suffered several mental illnesses and finally committed suicide in 1890.

Van Gogh has been the subject and inspiration for a number of different works, including films, and classical and popular music, such as Don McLean's 1971 ballad "Vincent", also known by its opening words, "Starry Starry Night", in reference to his famous painting The Starry Night.

“As we advance in life it becomes more and more difficult, but in fighting the difficulties the inmost strength of the heart is developed.”

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

“Happiness... it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.”

“I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.”

“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.”

“It is better to be high-spirited even though one makes more mistakes, than to be narrow-minded and all too prudent.”

“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.”

“Love always brings difficulties, that is true, but the good side of it is that it gives energy.”

“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.”

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”