There are a myriad of names that we as humans associate with true greatness. Whether these names are associated with great battles, great knowledge, scientific advancement, or even art, almost every child knows at least a handful of them. Vincent van Gogh is one of these great names. He is world famous for his paintings, and today they sell for millions, yet in his lifetime he only sold one of his works. Much is known about his life, thanks to his correspondence with his younger brother and others, in the form of letters. However his life is commonly oversimplified in regards to his works and the act of cutting off his ear. Van Gogh's thirty-seven years on earth were difficult, he struggled with constant mental illness and illness. In the public eye he was a menace with mediocre art, yet to those who knew him best he was a kind man, simply trying to find his place in the world. What follows is simply the analysis of a lifetime. One is unable to truly understand the life of another, and although Vincent van Gogh's life is better documented than many others, a summary in no way completely defines the life. By analyzing the event of his life, one gets a better understanding of his masterpieces. Vincent van Gogh was the eldest surviving son of the Reverend Theodoros and Anna Cornelia van Gogh. He was named after his grandfather and, more tragically, his stillborn brother. Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853, exactly one year after the death of little Vincent. Throughout his childhood Van Gogh was constantly compared to the perfect child Vincent in heaven. His mother loved nature, so she often walked in the Dutch countryside with Vincent. As a child he constantly found himself at little Vincent's grave with his mother, and carried... middle of paper... ogh. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 519-526. Gruitrooy, G. (1994). Van Gogh: An Appreciation of His Art. New York: Todtri Productions.Hind, C. L. (1969). The impressionist posts. Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press. Interpretive Resource | The Art Institute of Chicago. (2001). Retrieved from http://www.artic.edu/aic/resources/resource/272 Merberg, J., & Bober, S. (2002). In the Garden with Van Gogh. San Francisco, California: Chronicle Books. Post-Impressionism. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.nga.gov/Vincent van Gogh The Letters. (2013, October). Retrieved from http://www.vangoghletters.org/vg/Vincent van Gogh (1853?1890) | Thematic essay | Chronology of Heilbrunn art history | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (2000). Retrieved from http://www.metmuseum.org/Vincent Van Gogh - Alienated Artist [video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.biography.com