Poetics of fictionalization

The (De)construction of the Van Gogh character in cinema

Abstract

This research is an excerpt from a doctoral thesis that examined the various portrayals of the painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1888) – specifically, the biographical and fictionalized constructions of the artist in cinema throughout history. Drawing on theories of intermediality and inter-art studies, this article analyzes the figure of the artist as a fictional character and explores how biographical elements can be approached from diverse perspectives; it further examines how the interplay between cinema and the visual arts creates a hybrid, multifaceted product that contributes to an expansion of meaning.

Submission: Jul 23, 2026 ⊶ Accepted: Sep 29, 2026