4: Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890)

Vincent van Gogh's paintings, such as "Starry Night" are quickly recognizable by their unique brushwork and expression. However, it was not until after his death that van Gogh gained popularity. Now he is considered among the greatest painters in history.

Van Gogh's life was a tortured one. Almost everyone knows the painter cut off part of his own ear. He also supposedly drank turpentine and tried to eat paint [source: Mancoff]. Tragically, he committed suicide in 1890. Authors D. Jablow Hershman and Dr. Julian Lieb propose in their book "Manic Depression and Creativity" that van Gogh had bipolar disorder. In her book "Touched with Fire," Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison reaches the same conclusion. She also discusses van Gogh's art in relation to his mental illness. For instance, she notes that the typical seasonal patterns of moods and psychosis align with van Gogh's productivity, which also varied by the season. Others think he suffered from schizophrenia [source: Delisi].

Next, we'll see whose genius echoes evermore.