Introduction
Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter. At the time of his death, he was a ‘loser’, a ‘misfit’ who sold only one painting in his life, but after his death, he was considered one of the most famous painters of all time. He died in July 1890 at the age of 37, after a short life lived in misery and poverty.
Natal Astrological Chart
ASC Cancer, the natal planet is the Moon
The Moon flies into the whole house of Sagittarius in the 6th house. The 6th house is associated with health, skillcraft, work, etc., and the Moon conjuncts Jupiter, which is in the temple. Van Gogh’s life goal is to aspire to develop in skills and crafts. That’s his ideal and pursuit, and it also foretells that it will bring wealth. However, the Moon is not in sync with the ASC, and it is foreign, so there is a lot of confusion and helplessness in this kind of life pursuit.
Moon in Gradual Loss
In Van Gogh’s natal chart, the Moon is in gradual loss. Plus, it is conjunct the South Node and opposes the North Node in the 12th house of evil. So the Moon’s state is worrying, which will affect his physical health, mood, and mental state. In reality, Van Gogh was withdrawn, rebellious, vulnerable, melancholic, and suspicious.
Special Attention to Malefic Mars
Malefic Mars and Its Impact
Special attention is paid to the malefic Mars because Van Gogh was a day disc and Mars flew in the wrong field and closely conjuncted the MC, making the maleficity even more pronounced. The Moon and Mars in the aspect quaternion not only brought setbacks to his career and livelihood difficulties but also caused great damage to his body and spirit, such as emotional instability, bipolar disorder, and even accidental injuries. The great auspicious planet Jupiter is in conjunction with the Moon, but this also amplifies the Moon’s bad state of affairs. In reality, Van Gogh’s life was marked by career setbacks, love affairs that came to an abrupt end, poverty, and doctors diagnosed him with mental illnesses as well as depression. There are accounts of him having ‘epileptic fits’ and seizures from time to time, but he continued to paint when he was lucid.
Moon and Inner Passion
The Moon conjunct MC Jupiter in Sagittarius also signifies his high level of faith and inner passion that won him the praise of future generations! Don’t overlook that the Moon is tightly trine Mercury in Sagittarius in the 10th house of the whole house, with Mercury flying from the 12th to the 10th. It shows that he was intelligent, eager to express his emotions, and turn the pain of the world into passionate art. He was obsessed with his quest, which may not have been understood at first but would eventually gain him the recognition of the world.
Lunar Phases After Birth
Lunar Phase on the 3rd Day After Birth
Next, observe the lunar phase on the 3rd day after his birth. The Moon falling in Capricorn and being watched by two malefic planets, Saturn and Fire, suggests that his upbringing was difficult in terms of health and resource support, which in reality it was. The Moon is quincunx Mercury, and Mercury is in the 8th house of the Whole (the malefic house), suggesting that the mind and emotions are prone to problems. The Moon transmits light from Saturn to Mercury: the lord of the disc is prone to deafness, digestive diseases, or melancholy. This corroborates Van Gogh’s mental illness and melancholy.
Moon Phase on the 7th Day After Birth
Again, observe the Moon phase on the 7th day after his birth. Moon Pisces, the whole 11th house but active in the 12th house of the quadrant, with the T-triangle of the North-South Node with the Moon as the apex and pulling the 2nd and 8th houses. The 8th house is associated with ailments and death. The 12th house is the darkest house, and the Moon is active here with a very weak force, which together with the T-triangle of the North-South Node, foretells Van Gogh’s physical ailments and bad luck. The Moon transmits light from Saturn to Jupiter: the lord of the disc was running for his livelihood. This totally confirms the life that followed him.
Lunar Phase on the 40th Day After Birth
Finally, look at the lunar phase on the 40th day after his birth. The Moon Gemini entire 6th house, active in the 5th house of the quadrant, signals a person who shows creativity with skillful techniques. Certainly, with the Moon conjunct the North Node and squaring both the 12th house South Node and Jupiter, perhaps this is Van Gogh, expressing and creating with exaggerated emotional sentiments that can be clearly found in many of his whimsical paintings, such as spiritually saturated flora, personified abstraction, amplified emotions, and tangential imagery. The Moon transmits light from Saturn to Jupiter, again foreshadowing his struggle to make ends meet and poverty.
Van Gogh’s Artistic Legacy
Van Gogh’s Vision and Passion
“When I draw a sun, I want one to feel that it is revolving at an astonishing speed and is sending out lurid giant waves of light and heat; when I draw a field of wheat, I want one to feel that the wheat are striving towards their final ripening and blossoming; when I draw an apple tree, I want one to feel that the juices inside the apples are holding the skin apart, and that the seeds in the core are striving for fruitfulness; when I paint a man, I want to paint his monstrous life. If there ceases to be something infinite, profound, and real in life, I shall cease to be attached to earth.”
Van Gogh’s paintings were a huge hit after his death, too bad he couldn’t see them. The suffering of the world did not break Van Gogh. He spoke of his art with great passion, and each of his paintings is a treasure left to the world.
