Artists Who Died Before Their Fame: Anne Frank and Vincent Van Gogh

Two of the most popular attractions in Amsterdam are the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum. I had the privilege of visiting both of these places on my last visit, and they got me thinking.

Both Anne Frank and Van Gogh are among the most famous artists in the world. They are common household names, and yet, neither of them lived long enough to learn of their own fame. 

On Anne Frank

Apart from her own writing skills, Anne Frank partly became so famous because of the tragedy that surrounds her. There is a literary term called “dramatic irony” where the reader (or viewer) knows something that the characters don’t. We know how it ends for Anne, but we read her story anyway, because sometimes knowing the end of a story makes the telling of it that much more interesting.

I recently read a collection of short stories and essays called The Opposite of Loneliness, by Marina Keegan. The author was an aspiring writer who was killed in a car accident just after graduating from Yale. One of her professors and her parents put together what they thought were her best works. I read her stories with this knowledge in mind, and I almost cried when I read an essay about her relationship with her mother. I imagined how her mom must’ve felt as she read those words and how painful it must’ve been to publish them. It brought a different meaning to the essay and made it much sadder than it was intended to be. 

It’s a similar idea with The Diary of Anne Frank. I haven’t had the privilege to read it yet (I bought the book from the museum while I was there and intend to read it soon). But after walking through the annex and hearing so many quotes, I know that the hope is the force that drives the most heart wrenching moments. 

Anne Frank wrote about how she knew the situation she was in would not last forever, but she didn’t survive to see it end. She wrote about how she wanted to be a famous writer, but the worst part is, she did become a famous writer, just not in the way she’d intended.

As an aspiring writer, I reflected on my own writing while walking through the Anne Frank House. I wondered if I’d have to die first before I gained an audience. I hope not. I hope my parents don’t have to deal with the burden of publishing my work for me. My mom said there’s nothing worse than having to bury your own child. I don’t doubt that. Anne’s father, the sole survivor of the family, was the unlucky sole who had to publish his daughter’s artwork. I can’t imagine how difficult that was.

On Van Gogh

I did the Anne Frank House in the evening, and the next morning, I woke up early and went to the Van Gogh Museum.

To avoid the crowds, I decided to do the Van Gogh museum backwards, starting with his death. While Anne Frank suffered at the hands of outside forces, Van Gogh’s struggle came from his own illness. Mental health is something that a lot of people take issue understanding. You could have everything you ever wanted and still have depression or anxiety. Mental illness functions just like any other illness. You can still get the flu when your rich, so why can’t you get depression.

I first learned about Van Gogh in Kindergarten. We drew our own versions of “Starry Night” while the teacher played the song over the radio. When I learned about him then, he was painted as a sad man who thought his art valued at nothing. The Van Gogh Museum told a different story. I was very pleased to learn that Van Gogh knew his art was good. He had issues trying to network and making his art known, but he at least knew that he was creating something special.

By the time I’d reached it, there was a crowd around “Sunflowers.” After painting his first version, Van Gogh knew this painting was a masterpiece, so he repainted it over and over. I hung on to this fact. He deserved to be proud of his work.

Van Gogh reminded me of how finicky the art world can be. Just because you’re good, doesn’t mean you’ll make money. Just because you’re bad, doesn’t mean you won’t. I wonder if fame is just a work of fate. I suppose networking and knowing the right people helps as well. That’s what Johanna Van Gogh-Berger (the wife of Vincent Van Gogh’s brother, Theo) did after the deaths of her husband and brother-in-law. She made it her life’s work to make Vincent famous, and boy, was she successful. 

I came out of the Van Gogh Museum reflecting on mental health. As a neuroscience major, I’ve participated in a class discussion on what it was that could’ve ailed Van Gogh. I’ve read articles with quotes of his suffering, about his ear, about all the possibilities. All I can say is that mental illness is complicated, and until we can understand more about the brain, most people will continue to deny the validity of these diseases. Maybe someday I can contribute, maybe not. Only time will tell.

Some Final Words

It’s funny how people like Anne Frank and Vincent Van Gogh can be thought of in the same context, despite being such different people in different times. It was a privilege to peak into their lives, and although the experience is a touristy one, I have no regrets in exploring both museums.