Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter.
His early works, mostly still lifes and depictions of peasant labourers,
contain few signs of the vivid colour that distinguishes his later work.
In 1886 he moved to Paris where he met members of the avant-garde,
including Emile Bernard and Paul Gauguin, who were reacting against the
Impressionist sensibility. As Van Gogh's work developed he created a new
approach to still lifes and local landscapes. In the south of France in
1888, he turned to painting olive trees, cypresses, wheat fields and
sunflowers, using brighter colours. Selling only one painting during his
lifetime, he was considered a madman and a failure, and committed
suicide at 37. His reputation began to grow in the early 20th century as
Fauvists and German Expressionists took up elements of his painting
style. He has attained widespread critical and popular acclaim, and is
remembered as an important but tragic painter. His works are among the
world's most expensive paintings.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1761:
Seven Years' War: Russian forces captured Kolberg, Prussia's
last port on the Baltic coast, after a four-month siege.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Kolberg_(Seven_Years%27_War)>
1811:
The first two in a series of four severe earthquakes struck the
Midwestern United States and made the Mississippi River appear to run
backward.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1811%E2%80%9312_New_Madrid_earthquakes>
1893:
Czech composer Antonín Dvořák's New World Symphony (audio
featured) premiered at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._9_(Dvo%C5%99%C3%A1k)>
1938:
Adolf Hitler instituted the Cross of Honour of the German
Mother as an order of merit for Imperial German women.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_Honour_of_the_German_Mother>
1986:
Dinmukhamed Konayev was dismissed from the post of First
Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, sparking riots
throughout the country.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeltoqsan>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
middelmannetjie:
A ridge between ruts made by wheels in a dirt or gravel road.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/middelmannetjie>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
The Information Age offers much to mankind, and I would like to
think that we will rise to the challenges it presents. But it is vital
to remember that information — in the sense of raw data — is not
knowledge, that knowledge is not wisdom, and that wisdom is not
foresight. But information is the first essential step to all of these.
--Arthur C. Clarke
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke>