Analysis Of Dr. Cibelli s The Great Van Gogh

When one hears the word â€Å"art† there are a few names that instantly come to mind. Picasso, Monet, and of course, the great Van Gogh are some of the best, to name a few. In Dr. Cibelli’s presentation on success despite adversity, we took a look at Van Gogh and the struggles he had to overcome in order to make it to the top of the art world. In order to get an understanding of Van Gogh’s artworks, we must first get to know the very man himself. As it turns out, according to Dr. Cibelli, Van Gogh’s success was a by-product of his many hardships. As was noted in the video, â€Å"The Power of Art,† Van Gogh didn’t always have his mind set on becoming an artist. In trying to follow in his father’s footsteps, Van Gogh early in life tried to become a pastor, but was booted out by fellow missionaries. It was after this failure, that Van Gogh decided to paint as a way to express himself and make a living. Unfortunately, his paintings didn’t sell very well (seen as too dark) and he could not turn to his father for help. The rough relationship with his father, as noted by the documentary, stemmed from the fact that Van Gogh’s girlfriend was a former prostitute, and that was something his father could not accept. Luckily for Van Gogh, his brother Theo was by his side both financially and emotionally, even up until death. As if his early life wasn’t difficult enough, it was also revealed through â€Å"The Power of Art† that Van Gogh eventually developed a mental illness. According to