Vincent: The Full Story

Can the troubles that van Gogh suffered in later life be traced back to his early development? In the first part of this revealing arts documentary, critic Waldemar Januszczak visits Vincent’s birthplace, the town of Zundert in the Netherlands. Today monuments and processions celebrate the artist. This contrasts starkly with his tormented upbringing. But why was the young Vincent so unhappy?

Supported by an allowance from his brother Theo, Vincent settled for a year in The Hague, spending days at the beach painting the sea. But, as critic Waldemar Januszczak discovers in this acclaimed documentary, his complicated romantic life soon led to friction. Moving back home, a scandal forced him to leave Holland for good. But did this conflict fuel his artistic passion?

The final few months of van Gogh’s life were a tempestuous period during which he created some of his most famous works. As critic Waldemar Januszczak reveals in this moving arts documentary, violence, madness and incredible bursts of creativity dominated this time. But what were the factors that drove the artist to shoot himself, aged 37, having only been an artist for a mere 9 years?