Historical Perspectives: Vincent van Gogh - Podcasts for Kids

Vincent van Gogh  is to be used with the resource Historical Perspectives from Mr. Mault's Marketplace on Teachers Pay Teachers.

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Ever wondered about the man behind the iconic Starry Night or the vibrant sunflower portraits? The genius, Vincent Van Gogh, lived a life that was far from ordinary; a life filled with pathos and yet, colored with brilliance - a life we'll be exploring in today's episode. We'll immerse ourselves into Van Gogh's extraordinary journey, from his early days of struggle to his posthumous recognition as one of the greatest artists of all time.

You'll discover how Van Gogh, despite his economic hardships, created over 800 masterpieces, drawing from his strong emotions and an undying passion for art. We'll unravel the story of his unique, heavy brushstrokes, and the bright colors that came to define his style, largely influenced by the Parisian artists. Not forgetting the 36 times he painted his own face, we'll talk about why these self-portraits were more than just practice sessions. We'll also delve into Van Gogh's early life, his myriad jobs, and his ultimate recognition as a gifted artist. So join us, as we bring to life, the inspiring journey of a man who spun magic with his brush, a man who transformed his passion into an everlasting legacy.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:22

Vincent Van Gogh. Have you heard of a painting called Starry Night? The sky is full of messy blue brushstrokes that swirl around a yellow moon and stars. It's pretty famous and many people travel to a museum in New York just to see it. Vincent Van Gogh painted that famous sky in 1889. He also painted a lot of sunflowers, you would probably recognize. So it's fair to wonder if he made a lot of money painting those pictures. Sadly, he did not. While he was alive he was poor, but his brother believed in him. His brother paid his bills, so Vincent could focus on becoming a true artist, but he only sold one painting while he was alive. 100 years later, however, one original Van Gogh painting sold for 83 million dollars.

Speaker 1: 1:27

Vincent Van Gogh began painting only 10 years before his death. Still, he completed over 800 paintings. Imagine trying something brand new and, in only 10 years, becoming one of the greatest of all time. Many teachers influenced him, but the artists in Paris were his favorite. He loved their bright colors and his final style came from his time there. In the last few years of his life he truly found his painting style.

Speaker 1: 2:03

He is known for heavy brushstrokes, bright colors and strong feelings in his work. You might actually recognize his face too, because he painted himself 36 times. He has red hair and a beard and he looks very serious. Painters often do self-portraits because they want to practice painting people. Their own face is always available to them in a mirror to study. Now there's an entire museum dedicated to him in Amsterdam. They have the biggest collection there, but some of his other paintings are in museums around the world. There are also traveling exhibits of his work and books filled with his vibrant paintings. Before he focused on painting, he tried a lot of other jobs. Nothing clicked for him until his brother told him to focus on what he did well drawing. What do you do well?