Vincent Van Gogh (1853 - 1890) was a dutch post-impressionist painter born in the small town of Zundert in the Netherlands. During his lifetime, he was considered an unsuccessful and inconsequential artist. Only after his death did his work become recognized and revered to the point where he is famous across the world as one of the greatest ever to do it and only second in Dutch regards Rembrandt.

He created over 2,000 artworks in his short career as an artist. And as many as 800 works in the last two years of his life, a phenomenal amount by any measure. Moreover, his colorful and sporadic brushwork style greatly influenced the more abstract ''modern art'' model that would sweep over and dominate the medium in the century after his death.

His emotionally expressive artistic view and unique individual style, compared to his contemporaries at the time, not only influenced many Dutch painters who followed, especially those in the branches of expressionism, but also rapidly revolutionized the development of ''art'' as a whole. Van Gogh can be indirectly credited as a significant inspiration in millions of artists' lives as ''the'' shining example of self-expression and non-conformity.

Master of the Selfie
Of all his now-iconic works, perhaps none are more widely recognized and well-known than his self-portrait pieces, to which Van Gogh is said to have painted over thirty-five in total. These range from a more conventional styling at the beginning of his career to evolving into more and more abstract adaptations that seem to hold within a more psychic quality to them rather than just the physical.

Self-portraits have always been a staple in any artist's repertoire, take fellow Dutch painter Rembrandt as evidence of this, but they have also always been just a side note within a body of grander work. Outstanding Van Gogh drawings genuinely popularized and iconized the subject, transforming them into a significant point of focus for all artists, before or after.

His portraits give us a window directly into his condition and deeper psychological state. His works on the subject are arguably even more well-known than his incredible landscapes pieces and greatly influenced painters like Henri Matisse and Paul Klee. Van Gogh could even partly blame the modern selfie craze, where people would instead photograph themselves than the broader world around them.

Arbiter of the Abstract
Of all of Van Gogh's triumphs, though, none are more impactful and enduring than his contribution to the flourishing and unfolding of both the abstractionist and expressionist painting styles. Before his time, little headway was made with these styles into mainstream hearts and was predominantly seen as ''lesser'' to those of a more realistic composition.

Van Gogh himself suffered greatly due to this and remained entirely unsuccessful even up until his death. However, people began to appreciate or even understand what the great man was trying to do after his passing. By leaning on the abstract, Van Gogh's work could embody deeper, more thematic elements that realism alone cannot express. For any artist's most outstanding achievement is to say what cannot be told in words, and Van Gogh was undoubtedly a master at this.

As a result, Van Gogh started a trend that influenced Dutch painting to follow all of the art in the century. From paintings such as Edvard Munch's ''The Scream'' to Pablo Picasso's ''The Weeping Woman,'' the inspiration from Van Gogh is evident. Perhaps the true impact of his legacy, even more so than his work.

A Modern Art Innovator
Above everything else, though, of all Vincent van Gogh's paintings, drawings, and artwork, what stands out the most, by far, is how it completely broke the mold of the times and opened up the avenues of art immensely to a new wave of unique styles, novel trends, and original ideas. This is Van Gogh's most significant impact.

Artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, René Magritte, Wassily Kandinsky, and Edvard Munch are just a few who stormed to success on the wave of van Gogh's wake. Even more, modern-day artists, such as Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, David Bowie, or any artist brave enough to want to be original and different should owe a debt of gratitude to van Gogh for painfully paving the way.

Van Gogh himself could also thank many influences that came before him, for this is how most art is created, through part inspiration and part influence. Still, Van Gogh injected color, vibrancy, passion, purpose, and life to a world and time that sorely needed it. He may not have been recognized for it in his lifetime, but Van Gogh's contribution, impact, and legacy are now firmly cemented in the annals of history and culture as one of the greatest.

The Bottom Line
During Van Gogh's short life, he suffered and endured personal torment, deep depression, mental instability, poverty, and unequivocal failure as an artist, which resulted in him taking his own life. However, through these ordeals and tribulations, some of the greatest paintings ever to be produced were made.

Any artist or person who feels themselves suffering now should let Van Gogh's example be one of encouragement. Let not your troubles burden you and seek not to be understood. Instead, follow your path and let your star shine unobstructed for all inclined to behold.