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Portrait of Vincent Van Gogh Photo sourced from

15 Magnificent Van Gogh Quotes you will Always Remember

Vincent Van Gogh often referred as just Van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history with more than 2000 artworks to his name. He painted around 860 oil paintings, most of which date from the last two years of his life. They include landscapes, still lifes, portraits and self-portraits, and are characterised by bold colours and dramatic, impulsive and expressive brushwork that contributed to the foundations of modern art.

He was however, not commercially successful during his life and he struggled with severe depression and poverty which eventually lead to him committing suicide aged only thirty-seven. After his death his artwork became some if the most sought after paintings in the world, with some considered among the most expensive paintings with the price tag that came with them when they were purchased.

Van Gogh often wrote letters to his brother Theo and had some of the best quotes to come with those letters. Let’s take a look at some of the most magnificent quotes by Van Gogh that you will always remember;

1.”Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together”

a portrait of Vincent van Gogh painting by Paul Gauguin Photo sourced from

Top on our list is perhaps Vincent Van Gogh’s most educating quote “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. And great things are not something accidental, but must certainly be willed.” These words carefully chosen can teach the world about patience and tolerance, which are virtues missing from many in the world currently. 

One can be able to do so many if those little things he does with his heart are brought together. Van Gogh produced over 2000 pieces of art in the last ten years of his life since, which averages out to about one piece every other day. In other words, consistency is what made him one of the greatest artists ever. Being consistent is what became key to Van Gogh and little by little he created his works in a very short span of time making him a very key figure in the art world today. 

2.”Normality is a paved road: It鈥檚 comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it”

Another famous quote that Van Gogh thought us that can make life move towards the right direction for one is “Normality is a paved road: It鈥檚 comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it”. This quote teaches us that for one to go from where you are to where you want to be, you push yourself to do things you鈥檝e never done before. You must be willing to get uncomfortable because discomfort is the only path to growth, there is no other way. 

For one to succeed, one has to normalize getting out of the comfort zone and pushing oneself to the extreme to make it in life. Life itself is not a walk in the park one has to push him/herself to the extent of success and even those who are successful should not sleep on success but rather keep pushing as long as they live. 

3.”The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore”

Van Gogh being a man of few words always quoted some of the most educating quotes, to boost his morale and give himself hope, and to also send a message to his brother on his well being. Another of of his quotes is “The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore”,

This quote is a literal message which simply means that one should strive to get what he/she wants regardless of the circumstances one passes through and should always take heart and be ready to face any obstacles facing them. For one to be successful he/she must have passed through several ups and downs and which he/she fought with to get what he wants, like a fisherman who is against the dangers of the waters but at the end passes and gets fish which is his target.

4.”Close friends are truly life鈥檚 treasures”

Vincent Van Gogh Photo sourced from

Another one of Van Gogh’s most famous quotes and one you should always remember is 鈥淐lose friends are truly life鈥檚 treasures. Sometimes they know us better than we know ourselves. With gentle honesty, they are there to guide and support us, to share our laughter and our tears. Their presence reminds us that we are never really alone.鈥� This quote is one of the most conversant with our day to day life.

One should be able to know his/her true friends because friends are something that defines a person. And like its said tell me your friends and I will know who you are, this quote literally means that some times because friends stay with you through thick and thin, the get to know you better than you even know yourself and friends should be there to guide and protect you, which is one of the virtues of a true friend. 

5. 鈥淭he beginning is perhaps more difficult than anything else, but keep heart, it will turn out all right鈥�

Portrait of Vincent Van Gogh Photo sourced from

One thing about Van Gogh you should know is that he always kept going even when things got worse and his mental health became a problem even for himself. He always thought of doing his best and lived every moment until that faithful day when he committed what could only be described as suicide by shooting himself. His works in the last two years of his life is a prove that the end is bigger than the beginning. 

Van Gogh quoted this words when it was hard for him ” The beginning is perhaps more difficult than anything else, but keep heart, it will turn out all right”. He imagined that perhaps keeping trying his best is and forget his troubles.One needs commitment which is what gets you started and then consistency which is what gets to the desired place and finally persistence is what keeps you going no matter the obstacles you face. 

6. “It is looking at things for a long time that ripens you and gives you a deeper meaning”

This famous quite by Van Gogh is one of the best one which one should always remember, “It is looking at things for a long time that ripens you and gives you a deeper meaning” which simple means you can’t look at something from far away and know its meaning it takes time and also a closer look to understand the real meaning if that certain thing. 

It can also be translated that you don’t just judge a book by its cover, you should read the whole of it before you get to know the real meaning and get the message. Also you cannot just judge people through just looking at them, you need to know them personally before you conclude in the personality of that person. This also means that you need time to study anything or anybody before you realize the deeper meaning. 

7.”Your profession is not what brings home your weekly paycheck, your profession is what you鈥檙e put here on earth to do”

Another one of Van Gogh’s quotes is “Your profession is not what brings home your weekly paycheck, your profession is what you鈥檙e put here on earth to do, with such passion and such intensity that it becomes spiritual in calling”, which simply means that one should do his job not thinking of the pay that comes with it or putting payment as the reason for one to work. 

God gave us life and talents which we should use in our day to day functions but most of us use those talents for a paycheck not passion. The passion for our work is what we should look at and the desire to work is what our true meaning in this life is. Van Gogh understood this and that’s why all his work and paintings we’re created with passion and professionalism. 

8.”If I am worth anything later, I am worth something now”

Van Gogh always thought of way to pass his message to his brother and the world at large through his letters where he used several quotes, some of which are emotional an example is “If I am worth anything later, I am worth something now. For wheat is wheat, even if people think it is a grass in the beginning”, which simply means that if in future you will consider me worth after I have made it then should should better consider me worth now because I am the same person. 

He uses an example of wheat which when its tender it looks like grass but when its ripe its wheat, which can be translated like it being a great person doesn’t change the person from who you really are so if one doesn’t regard you as simple as you are then in future when things change for the better he/she should not come begging because you will still be the same person. 

9.”I am still far from being what I want to be, but with God’s help I shall succeed”

Vincent Van Gogh though a man of few words though he was suffering from mental illness that disturbed his peace of mind, often pushed himself for more and more, he wanted success and thought that no matter the time and troubles he faced in life he was still not there until he got there and always put God first in everything he did. He realised only God could help him in his life and career. 

With God on one’s side everything is possible, he created everything in this world and knows each and everyone of us and gives us the strength to push through. Though we pass through troubles which he puts us through to test our faith we should always think and do everything according to his will and always pray to God to help us and he certainly will. 

10.”Success is sometimes the outcome of a whole string of failures”

Van Gogh went through thick and thin and suffered all through his life to make most of his works.He has so many works in his life but they were not easy to come by. One of his other quotes is “Success is sometimes the outcome of a whole string of failures”, which simply means that sometimes it is not easy to on your way to success. 

For one to succeed one must pass through strings of failures. Most successful people must have gone through alot and though most people may not realize it and only see the success but the scars of hard labor are still in those people’s hearts.The ups and downs they must have gone through on their journey to success is only reflected in their life’s success. 

11.”What is done in love is done well”

Another value that Van Gogh had and kept dear in his life was Love, he loved his works, his brother and nature which appeared mostly in his artworks. This famous quote by him proves that, “what is done in love is done well”. The love in his heart when he was working on his painting made his paintings among the most important and most priced masterpieces in the history of the art. 

This in turn teaches us that whatever we do in life we should do it with love and in every situation she get ourselves into, we can only get out of such situations with love. A heart that loves does what it does best. Van Gogh loved nature which appears in almost all his paintings. As they say nature itself is love, the way Van Gogh made his paintings with his whole heart and the messages he sent to his brother symbolises the biggest love. 

12.”Love is something eternal… The aspect may change but not the essence”

Another thing that Vincent Van Gogh taught us through his quotes is “Love is something eternal… The aspect may change but not the essence”, which literary means that once someone lives something that love is permanent and lasts forever. The aspect or ways of going about it may change over time but the essence and the love itself will never change. 

Love sometimes leads people to do crazy things and sometimes those crazy things get lost from their lives but the love for each other or for certain thing stays forever the essence of their love doesn’t change one bit. Van Gogh himself felt the love and though he suffered from mental illness which disrupted his life, he still felt that love during his days. 

13.”I try more and more to be myself, caring relatively little whether people approve or disapprove”

Van Gogh Wes a man who new fully well that not everybody will love him for who he was and tried his best to be himself and do his works without thinking or caring much abOut the views of other people. This quote ” I try more and more to be myself, caring relatively little whether people approve or disapprove” illustrates this point clearly that Van Gogh did his best and that’s why his works are so magnificent. 

He teaches us that in this world no matter what you do, first there must be critics and second there are those who support you. Then one should always try their best to be themselves in every situation, without caring about what people say, because the nature of people is complicated and no matter what you do people will always try to look for something bad to say about it, though there are those who think positively and always support you. 

14.”It is better to be high-spirited even though one makes more mistakes, than to be narrow-minded and all to prudent”

Another famous quote by Van Gogh which has a greater meaning in life is “It is better to be high-spirited even though one makes more mistakes, than to be narrow-minded and all to prudent”, which simply means that sometimes think far and wide and thinking of many things in life is good than being narrow minded and thinking of one thing or few thing which only concern you, that way one may not learn anything. 

It also teaches us that when one thinks and does many things there is a big chance at making many mistakes but as they say people learn from mistakes and sure even with the many mistakes one will learn so many things that way. Van Gogh himself experienced this and but when he fell down, he gathered courage and woke up and continued and today he is one if the most famous people for his works. 

15.”I dream my painting and I paint my dream”

Last on our list today is this quote by Van Gogh “I dream my painting and I paint my dream”, which simply means that what one dies in life is something they might have thought and those thoughts which he calls dreams is what he tries his best to fulfill no matter what. So often in life, we chase goals before asking if we genuinely want to achieve them and jump on the trendy trains before evaluating whether or not they matter to us, so we end up leading lives that are not authentically ours, and thus, feel unfulfilled.

Unfortunately, that鈥檚 the downside of fast living 鈥� it doesn鈥檛 allow time for reflection, contemplation, and intentional life design. Life needs to be taken differently because we live once in this world and die once so whenever one makes a mistake, he/she should struggle to make amends. The life we live today is like that of Van Gogh who regardless of the suffering he went through with his mental illness, he always found away of coming back stronger.