Théo van Gogh
approach to life and appearances

The following is a description of Théo's basic stance toward life, the way others see him, the way Théo Van Gogh comes across, the face he shows to the world. In the page about motivation you will read about the inner Théo Van Gogh - his real motivation, which describes the kind of person he is at heart and where his true priorities lie. Study this page and the next one and compare them - there may be significant differences between the two, in which case "the inner Théo Van Gogh" may not shine through and others may be in for so a few surprises once they get to know Théo a little better. This page describes the disguise Van Gogh wears, his role in life, while the page about motivation talks about the real person beneath the disguise.

He is a natural diplomat, reasonable, tolerant, fair, always willing to listen to varying viewpoints, and prepared to see the other side of an issue. Even if he strongly disagrees with someone, Théo Van Gogh will try to find points of similarity and agreement rather than emphasizing the differences. He often avoids taking an extreme or one-sided stance on anything. Théo has a strong desire for harmonious and pleasant relationships, and revels in a spirit of cooperation, compromise, friendship, and fairness. Théo Van Gogh very much wants to be liked and because of his need for approval and acceptance, Van Gogh is easily influenced by others' opinions, especially those expressed by the young. He so much wants to please that often Théo Van Gogh will suppress his own intense or unpleasant feelings in order to avoid offending others. Sometimes Van Gogh's politeness is interpreted as being phony or wishy-washy.

His need to create harmony extends to his physical environment and personal appearance as well. Théo Van Gogh appreciates beauty and has a natural sense of balance, symmetry, and proportion. He does everything in good taste, with a sense of style and art. From his home furnishings to his choice of clothing, everything must be aesthetically appealing, not simply functional or utilitarian.

He also feels that relationships are a form of art - one that Van Gogh is especially interested in and usually quite skilled at, for Théo possesses tact and acute awareness of other people. Marriage is very significant to him and finding the right person to share his life with is extremely important. Being part of a close relationship seems natural to Théo Van Gogh - he is not an independent loner. Having a partner increases his self-confidence. Théo Van Gogh does have a tendency, however, to become overly dependent on his partner and perhaps not to develop a clearly defined identity outside of the relationship. Finding the balance between being himself and blending and uniting with another is a challenge for Théo.

Others see Théo Van Gogh as an agreeable, smooth, harmonious, and "nice" person. Though there may be much more to him, this is the sort of face Van Gogh shows to the world. He possesses personal charm and an understated, non-combative manner. His motto could be "one catches more flies with honey than with vinegar" for Théo Van Gogh usually adopts a friendly, cooperative approach rather than a strong, forceful, I'm-going-to-conquer-the-world attitude.

Théo Van Gogh comes across to others as intelligent, alert, articulate, knowledgeable, and communicative. He is quite curious and interested in the people and events around him, and cannot resist commenting about them.

Van Gogh also needs to be busy and active, and he moves quickly. Théo Van Gogh also appears to be restless. Keeping his mind or hands occupied helps with that.

He is assertive and bold. Théo Van Gogh is willing to be the first person to speak up and make his position known, and to strike out on his own if necessary. Théo generally gets along better with men than with women because his approach is quite direct and sometimes tactless and insensitive as well. He can be a bit too forceful. However, Théo Van Gogh's boldness is his calling card, and most people feels that he can at least be trusted to be honest with them.

He is able to control his feelings and conduct himself in a very proper manner. Because of his inner shyness, Théo Van Gogh tends to separate himself from others and gives the impression that he does not want to be talked to.

Astrological factors in this Astro Profile section:

Libra Rising

Mercury Sextile Asc.

Mars Sextile Asc.

Asc. Conjunct Venus/Saturn