Answer: Vincent van Gogh may have suffered from bipolar disorder, and his artwork, although colorful, often reflects his emotional pain. His story is well-known by anyone with an interest in art history. Despite wanting to be a pastor, Van Gogh’s life was deeply affected by mental illness, and he went through several torrid love affairs and bouts of depression. He often coped with this through his art, and he drew the people and places that influenced his life. In later life, he found it difficult to write letters, and went through stages of not being able to work, along with stages of being extremely inspired and working prolifically. After shooting himself his last words were reported to be: “The sadness will last forever.”