Vincent van Gogh shoots himself and dies two days later.

Vincent van Gogh died on **29 July 1890** at the age of 37, bringing to an end one of the most influential yet tragic careers in the history of art. On 27 July, while staying in the French village of Auvers-sur-Oise, he suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen under circumstances that remain the subject of debate. The traditional account is that Van Gogh shot himself in a wheat field with a revolver before managing to walk back to the Auberge Ravoux, the inn where he was lodging. A local doctor attended to him, but the bullet could not be safely removed, and his condition steadily worsened.

Van Gogh’s younger brother, Theo, rushed from Paris to be at his bedside and remained with him during his final hours. Despite his injury, Van Gogh was reportedly calm and accepted that he would not recover. His last widely reported words to Theo were, “The sadness will last forever,” although historians have debated the exact wording and whether the quote was recorded precisely. Vincent died in the early hours of 29 July 1890 from complications caused by the gunshot wound, most likely resulting from infection and internal injuries. Theo, who had been his closest friend, financial supporter, and emotional anchor throughout his artistic career, was devastated by the loss.

Although suicide has long been accepted as the official explanation for Van Gogh’s death, some modern historians have suggested that he may have been accidentally shot by local youths, based on evidence presented in a 2011 biography. However, no conclusive proof has emerged to overturn the traditional account, and the exact circumstances remain uncertain. Van Gogh was buried in the cemetery at Auvers-sur-Oise on 30 July 1890. Six months later, Theo also died and was eventually reburied beside his brother. During his lifetime, Van Gogh sold very few paintings and received little public recognition, but after his death his extraordinary body of work came to be celebrated worldwide, making him one of the most famous and influential artists in history.