Van Gogh's Struggle & Faith Van Gogh's struggle & faith are well-documented. Few painters represent the image of the starving artist as does van The Struggle and Faith of Vincent Van GoghThe struggle and faith of Vincent Van Gogh are well-documented. Few painters represent the image of the starving artist as does Van Gogh. Books and songs refer to his misfortune both as an artist and as a man. Born in 1853 in the Netherlands, he was only thirty-seven years old when he died from a gunshot wound to the chest. However, in his brief but troubled life, the masterful artist found an expression for his art and life that few others find.