Van Gogh’s adult life was in grim reality a constant struggle against poverty, misery, ill health, both physical and mental, and loneliness. A man of conscience and self questioning, his early career and personal life seemed doomed to failure. Art provided his only outlet. Through it he was able to express himself; in his own words, “I believe that pictures will tell you what I am not able to express in words”. In this lecture, a selection of his paintings will take us through his short but prolific painting career and try to help us to understand the inner workings of Van Gogh’s mind.