A 19th-century painter, Van Gogh is almost as famous for his mental instability as for his vivid paintings. His career as an artist lasted only 10 years and coincided with frequent bouts of depression and anguish; in a famous 1888 incident he slashed off his left earlobe with a razor. He is closely associated with the town of Arles in the south of France, where he created many of his greatest paintings. Among his best-known works are The Potato Eaters (1885), Starry Night (1889), and Irises (1889). He died in Auvers, France two days after shooting himself in the chest with a pistol.

Extra credit: Van Gogh collected drawings by American cartoonist Thomas Nast.