| In March of 1886 the Dutch artist Vincent van | | | | conflict between the brothers, making life for |
| Gogh moved to Paris to study in the studio of | | | | Theo "almost unbearable". |
| Fernand Cormon. Cormon, a former pupil of the | | | | In 1887, having made peace with Theo, van Gogh |
| famed French academic painter Alexandre | | | | left for Asnieres, where he became personally |
| Cabanel, was one of the leading history painters | | | | acquainted with Paul Signac, the French |
| of the time. While there, van Gogh lived with his | | | | neo-impressionist painter who, working with |
| brother Theo, his most ardent supporter. | | | | Georges Seurat, helped develop the pointillist style. |
| Less is known about van Gogh's time in Paris than | | | | As a result, van Gogh adopted elements of |
| other periods of his life, since he and his brother | | | | pointillism, which uses many small dots of paint to |
| had no need to correspond during this time. | | | | create an optical blend of hues when seen from a |
| However, it is known that van Gogh frequented | | | | distance. Another aspect of the pointillist style is |
| the circle of the Australian impressionist painter | | | | the use of complementary colors, such as red |
| John Peter Russell while working in Cormon's | | | | and green, which form vibrant contrasts when |
| studio. He and fellow students, including Emile | | | | placed side by side. |
| Bernard and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, used to | | | | In November of that same year, Vincent and |
| meet at Julien "Pere" Tanguy's paint store, where | | | | Theo met Paul Gauguin, who had just arrived in |
| they were able to view the works of Paul | | | | Paris, and the three became friends. Van Gogh |
| Cezanne. | | | | would later spend nine weeks painting with |
| In addition to Cezanne, the works of many other | | | | Gauguin in Arles, though their time together ended |
| Impressionist painters were readily available for | | | | disastrously. In a fit of epilepsy, van Gogh pursued |
| viewing in Paris at this time. An exhibition of the | | | | Gauguin with an open razor, though his friend was |
| Artistes Independants was held in 1886, along | | | | able to restrain him. Van Gogh did, however, |
| with the eighth and final exhibition of the | | | | famously manage to cut off a portion of his own |
| Impressionists. These exhibitions marked the | | | | earlobe. |
| debut of Neo-Impressionism, with works by | | | | Towards the end of 1887, Vincent arranged an |
| Georges Seurat and Paul Signac on display. | | | | exhibition of his paintings, along with those of |
| Theo himself kept a selection of Impressionist | | | | Bernard, LouisAnquetin, and, more than likely, |
| paintings in his gallery on Boulevard Montmartre, | | | | Toulouse-Lautrec, at the Restaurant du Chalet, on |
| including works by Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, | | | | Montmartre. Van Gogh exchanged works with |
| Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro, which may | | | | Gauguin, while Bernard and Anquetin finally |
| have been a source of consternation for Vincent. | | | | managed to sell their work. Visitors to the show |
| Differences of opinion regarding the | | | | included Pissarro and his son, Signac, and Seurat. |
| Impressionists' ways of seeing and painting led to | | | | |