Vincent Van Gogh was a Post-Impressionist painter who led the way for Expressionism, greatly influencing modern art. In his younger years he worked for an art firm, but left to become a missionary, working in poor mining areas. It wasn't until the age of 27 that he started to paint. Van Gogh's earlier paintings exhibited more subdued colors, though later he began to use the bright colors and expressive application styles that are so often associated with his name.