This is a timeline of events in the life of Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, from 1853 - 1890. Known for his vivid and unique oil paintings, Vincent van Gogh found it hard to make a living from his art and struggled with his mental health during his lifetime. He took inspiration for his realistic paintings from nature and the lives of ordinary people, painting in Paris and southern France. Few of his paintings sold in his lifetime, and he died by committing suicide.