Wondering...

[4woody]

Why did Van Gogh give this advice? What were the circumstances?

Let us keep courage and try to be patient and gentle.

VINCENT VAN GOGH

[fauxartist]

He suffered greatly at the hands of others ignorance....a man with mental illness in a society with no tolerance for his genius or his innocence. All he wanted was what any of us does, love and kindness.

[4woody in reply to fauxartist]

so you think he was giving this advice to himself? I am familiar with his life and work.

[fauxartist in reply to 4woody]

Yes I do....and also a message to others as well. I was an art student...and I was very fortunate to see an exhibit at the LA modern art museum about Impressionism. I will remember the awe of it for all my life. I saw many of his works. I am a painter of sorts, I love painting for myself, kind of a play therapy....and to imagine Van Gogh's mind as he applied gobs of paint on canvas, and what he was seeing in his ‘mind’s eye’ must have been magical.

Often genius is born from insanity... and sadly he had no real support for his disease, it just wasn't available at that time. They always say it’s a fine line between genius and insanity....I think sometimes the lines just get blurred....

[4woody in reply to fauxartist]

I agree that the lines get blurred. I’m an artist as well. I’ve worked mostly in wood and fabric. And I note the website I which we have met. ☺️