Vincent van Gogh was a tormented man From a young age he was troubled by fits of depression After a string of unfulfilling jobs and failed relationships he found that painting would relieve him of his suffering Even so he cut off part of his left ear in a fit of rage While in the hospital doctors tried to diagnose his melancholy Once he was released he continued to paint In a remarkable career that spanned about a decade he turned out hundreds of paintings including at least forty self-portraits And then before he was forty years old he took his own life Few other artists have been as successful in expressing their feelings as Vincent van Gogh Dozens of his works are considered masterpieces Scholars continue to try to diagnose his mental state and wonder at the talent that was lost.
