Vincent van Gogh was arguably Europe's greatest painter. Although he only lived 37 years and only produced works of art during the last ten years of his life, van Gogh had a monumental influence on the Expressionist movement. His works were "discovered" by the artistic community 11 years after his death by suicide. After shooting himself in the chest, van Gogh confessed to his dear brother Theo that "the sadness will last forever." Such was the melodrama and passion which marked van Gogh's life. During a ten year period, he created over 2,000 works of art, including 900 drawings. The city of Amsterdam, Holland now houses many of these works in the Van Gogh Museum. Many of his paintings have sold for millions of dollars at auction. His famous portrayal of Doctor Gachet netted more than $80 million at an auction held by Christie's. Van Gogh was also a talented writer. In 1914, his correspondences with his brother Theo were published. Theo supported van Gogh for most of his life, even as van Gogh became deeply ill with what many now believe was bipolar disorder. Untreated and undiagnosed, van Gogh spiraled into depression and madness. Such was his delusion that he began to preach nonsense diatribes to local miners. One of the most famous episodes in van Gogh's life occurred towards the end. After being dismissed by a suitor, van Gogh sliced off his ear and presented it to this woman as a token of his love. Van Gogh's passions and madnesses have been documented in numerous biographies, an opera, and a number of songs, including Don McLean's lyrical tune, "Vincent."
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