Vincent van Gogh is the quintessential example of the unfortunate artist who is overlooked by his contemporaries, dies unknown, and only later achieves great fame. The highest price ever paid at auction for a single painting was for a work by van Gogh. However, this image of him is not entirely accurate. Even during his lifetime, there were early signs of broad recognition. Had he lived to the age of seventy, he would certainly have died a famous and wealthy man. Many know van Gogh only as the mad, wild man who cut off his own ear (in fact, it was just a piece of his ear) and thus created great art instinctively. This is not the case. He was not constantly insane but only suffered from occasional episodes. Vincent van Gogh worked as an artist for several years.