Want to learn the ideas in Lust for Life better than ever? Read the world’s #1 book summary of Lust for Life by Irving Stone here.

Read a brief 1-Page Summary or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. Note: this book guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher or author, and we always encourage you to purchase and read the full book.

Video Summaries of Lust for Life

We’ve scoured the Internet for the very best videos on Lust for Life, from high-quality videos summaries to interviews or commentary by Irving Stone.

1-Page Summary of Lust for Life

Overall Summary

American author Irving Stone wrote the novel Lust for Life in 1934, which was based on Vincent van Gogh’s life. He drew heavily from Vincent and Theo van Gogh’s letters to each other, as well as historical research.

The book is divided into nine sections, each named after the place where van Gogh lived. It starts with London and ends in Auvers-sur-Oise, France. In each section, he learns something that influences his work. The book focuses on Sunflowers (1888), Bedroom in Arles (1889), Wheat Field with Crows (1890) and other famous paintings of his time.

The author begins the story with Vincent’s teenage years. He was raised in a strict household and religion played an important role in his life. At this time, he developed a crush on Ursula, but she rejected him. This led to depression and he took comfort in religion.

Eventually, Vincent becomes a Calvinist pastor. When he fails the entrance exam to study theology at university, he is sent as a missionary to the mining town of Borinage in Belgium. The locals don’t take him seriously because of his appearance and soon instead of preaching, he spends time drawing people around him and admiring their beauty amidst squalor. He gives away most of his salary and moves into an unheated hut so that others can live better lives than they would otherwise have had. As a result, he loses his job for undermining the dignity of priesthood.

In Etten, Vincent van Gogh falls in love with Cornelia Stricker. When he proposes to her, she rejects him. Later on, he tries to visit her at home but is turned away by the family. He then thrusts his hand into a lamp flame and begs for just five minutes of time with Kee before it burns off completely. Eventually, Van Gogh moves in with Sien Hoornik and her children but his parents pressure him to end the relationship because they don’t like Sien’s past as a prostitute. At this point in time, Van Gogh begins working with oil paint instead of watercolor since it can be applied more thickly than watercolors which makes colors appear darker than they actually are (which was popular at that time).

Vincent van Gogh is encouraged by his brother Theo to move to Paris. There, he meets famous artists and writers of the time, who inspire him to create more work than ever before. He begins developing his own theory about art: “It is not the language of painters but nature that one should listen to.” His work becomes increasingly colorful as a result.

Vincent’s relationships were a source of trouble. To get away from them, he moved to Arles in the south of France. Theo helped him move there and gave him emotional support through letters. In Arles, Vincent painted constantly with bright yellows that would become his trademark: “As summer advanced everything became burnt up. He saw about him nothing but old gold, bronze and copper covered by a greenish azure sky of blanched heat.” He was like a machine that couldn’t stop painting.

Vincent asks Gauguin to come live with him in Arles. He does, but they have a falling out when Gauguin doesn’t treat Vincent as an equal. Their friendship deteriorates and the troubled artist cuts off his own ear and gives it to a prostitute he frequents at a brothel in town who had once commented on how nice his ears are. He is hospitalized and Theo rushes to be by his side.

Vincent voluntarily goes to the St Remy asylum because of his depression. During that time, he paints from memory and sketches.

Vincent was released from the asylum and spent his last years in Auvers, painting. He died when he shot himself in the chest at thirty-seven. His brother Theo rushed to his side again but Vincent declined and eventually passed away.