This verified overview profiles influential painters, sculptors, and visual artists who died at widely reported ages, noting where available records confirm causes and dates. It focuses on career highlights and documented legacies rather than speculation, helping readers distinguish enduring reputation from rumor. Each profile emphasizes primary contributions, key works, and eras, supported by brief sourcing cues. The structure supports long-term reference, with comparison guidance for timelines and reliable attribution.
What This Resource Covers and Why It Matters
Artists who died at historically notable ages often mark transitions in style, patronage, or technology. This resource centers only on verifiable facts: names, active periods, documented death dates, and confirmed contributions. Biographical framing is kept tight to avoid clutter, while timelines clarify influence across movements. For researchers, educators, and practitioners, the aim is reliable context for citation and comparison, not sensationalized narratives. Expect consistent sourcing signals, cautious language where evidence is partial, and clearly labeled gaps.
Van Gogh Profile: Dates, Work, and Documented Context
Confirmed Career and Death Details
Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) died at age 36 in Auvers-sur-Oise, France. Records confirm a documented gunshot on 27 July 1890; he died 29 July 1890. Core works such as The Potato Eaters, Sunflowers, and Wheatfield with Crows anchor his reputation for expressive brushwork and color. His letters, published and widely cited, clarify timelines of output and personal circumstances. Museums including the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, retain primary sources, supporting consistent attribution and dating.
Legacy Signals and Commonly Cited Signals
- Posthumous Influence: Expressionist and modern painters cite his handling of surface and hue.
- Market Presence: Selected works rank among the most recognized in global surveys of Western art.
- Document Signals: Letters, medical reports from the period, and exhibition catalogues anchor fact patterns.
Leonardo da Vinci Profile: Lifespan, Works, and Verification Cues
Confirmed Career and Death Details
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) died at age 67 in Amboise, France. Contemporary records from court documents and burial registers align on 2 May 1519 as the death date. Notable works include the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and numerous anatomical and engineering studies. Institutions such as the Louvre and Biblioteca Ambrosiana house authenticated manuscripts and paintings, enabling ongoing cross-verification.
Legacy Signals and Commonly Cited Signals
- Cross-Disciplinary Influence: His studies informed anatomy, optics, and hydraulics, cited in scholarly histories of science.
- Market Presence: Iconic images appear in public domain reproductions and major museum collections.
- Document Signals: Notebooks, estate inventories, and Giorgio Vasari’s early biographies provide triangulation points.
Rembrandt Profile: Verified Timeline, Works, and Context
Confirmed Career and Death Details
Rembrandt Harmenszoon (1606–1669) died at age 63 in Amsterdam. Burial records at the Westerkerk, alongside civic registries, confirm 4 October 1669 as the death date. Key works include The Night Watch, hundreds of etchings, and intimate self-portraits that chart technique over decades. The Rembrandt Research Project and major museum catalogs supply documented chains of attribution.
Legacy Signals and Commonly Cited Signals
- Technique and Teaching: Pupils and later Baroque painters reference his use of light and layered impasto.
- Market Presence: Important works remain in flagship museums and set benchmarks at auction when reliably authenticated.
- Document Signals: Ledgers, estate records, and contemporaneous print inventories support output chronologies.
Practical Comparison of Artist Death Information
The table below presents concise, comparable data points for the profiles above, emphasizing dates and attribution confidence. Values are drawn from consensus museum records and scholarly editions where available.
| Artist | Death Date | Age at Death | Key Verified Works | Primary Source Types |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vincent van Gogh | 29 July 1890 | 36 | The Potato Eaters; Sunflowers; Wheatfield with Crows | Letters, medical reports, coroner notes |
| Leonardo da Vinci | 2 May 1519 | 67 | Mona Lisa; The Last Supper; anatomical studies | Court records, burial registers, notebooks |
| Rembrandt Harmenszoon | 4 October 1669 | 63 | The Night Watch; major etchings; self-portraits | Burial registers, estate records, ledgers |
How Death Records Are Verified and Common Gaps
Reliable confirmation typically depends on a combination of contemporary registries, institutional holdings, and, when relevant, scholarly projects that reassess attribution. Death dates appear in parish or civic registers, inventories, and, for some twentieth-century figures, hospital or forensic records. Gaps can stem from inconsistent record-keeping, loss of documents, or conflated entries in wartime or displaced contexts. When evidence is partial, reputable sources signal uncertainty rather than assert unverified details.
Evaluating Attribution and Avoiding Confusion
Not all works attributed to a named artist hold equal evidential weight. Strong attribution relies on provenance, technical study, and consistent documentary triangulation. Disputed works are flagged in specialist literature and by collecting institutions. Readers should prioritize museum catalogues, peer-reviewed scholarship, and projects with transparent methodologies. Ambiguities around death dates, causes, or specific output are stated plainly rather than glossed over.
Applying This Knowledge: Research, Teaching, and Practice
These profiles support clear citation practices, lesson planning, and responsible communication about artistic legacy. Curators and educators can use verified dates and works as stable reference points while acknowledging where questions remain. Emerging research that revises attribution is tracked through institutional updates and scholarly channels, enabling audiences to see how understanding evolves while core documented facts remain anchored.
Art Historical Context and Enduring Reputation
Reputation for artists who died at various ages is shaped by a mix of innovation in technique, shifts in subject emphasis, and the preservation or loss of key works. Artists working across centuries influence successors through studied technique, publication, and teaching lineages. Stable records allow these lineages to be mapped with greater precision, supporting nuanced comparisons across movements and national contexts. Where documentation is thin, careful methodologies limit overstatement while still honoring creative achievement.