Unit One Chapter 4: An Artist Named Vincent

Final Check

Question

The Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh (commonly pronounced van-GO) is world-famous for his paintings, which sell for jaw-dropping sums—many millions of dollars. Posters of his work, most famously “The Starry Night,” are (1)berateestrangeeuphoricimpetuousinfalliblemaudlinregressrelinquishubiquitouszenith; they can be found in any poster shop or website. But poor Van Gogh did not enjoy fame and fortune during his lifetime. Indeed, he sold only one painting before he died in 1890.

Van Gogh’s lack of success is tied to the fact that he was almost certainly mentally ill. He was known for having very extreme mood swings. For several weeks he would be (2)berateestrangeeuphoricimpetuousinfalliblemaudlinregressrelinquishubiquitouszenith, convinced that he was the greatest of painters and on the verge of success. During the (3)berateestrangeeuphoricimpetuousinfalliblemaudlinregressrelinquishubiquitouszenith of those periods, he believed he was (4)berateestrangeeuphoricimpetuousinfalliblemaudlinregressrelinquishubiquitouszenith, unable to consider that he might be wrong about anything. He would paint constantly, rarely stopping to eat or sleep. He acted in (5)berateestrangeeuphoricimpetuousinfalliblemaudlinregressrelinquishubiquitouszenith ways, such as buying great quantities of books and art supplies that he could not afford. He would (6)berateestrangeeuphoricimpetuousinfalliblemaudlinregressrelinquishubiquitouszenith his friends by borrowing money from them that he would never repay. Instead of apologizing for his debt, he would (7)berateestrangeeuphoricimpetuousinfalliblemaudlinregressrelinquishubiquitouszenith those same friends for not believing in his talent.

Then, just as suddenly, Van Gogh would collapse. He would become (8)berateestrangeeuphoricimpetuousinfalliblemaudlinregressrelinquishubiquitouszenith and terribly depressed, unable to do anything but cry and sleep. This cycle continued; for a while he would seem normal, then intensely happy, and then he would (9)berateestrangeeuphoricimpetuousinfalliblemaudlinregressrelinquishubiquitouszenith into a very dark mental state. Amidst a final bout with depression, he (10)beratedestrangedeuphoricimpetuousinfalliblemaudlinregressedrelinquishedubiquitouszenith his hope of ever getting better and committed suicide.

It is tragic that Van Gogh lived at a time when mental illness was poorly understood. Today, it is very likely that treatment and medications could have allowed him to live a longer and far happier life.