‘At Eternity’s Gate’ by Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh’s painting “At Eternity’s Gate”, also known as “Sorrowing Old Man”, was completed in 1890 just weeks before his tragic death. The work is often seen as a meditation on the artist’s own struggles with mental illness, poverty and feelings of failure at the end of his life.
The painting depicts a solitary figure, head bowed and face buried in his hands, sitting in a simple wooden chair. The man’s posture exudes despair and exhaustion. His clothes are plain and worn, suggesting a life of hardship. The background is empty and undefined, further emphasizing the figure’s isolation and disconnection from the world around him.