What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? — Vincent van Gogh | Printable Wall Art

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”

Words by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) — Post-Impressionist painter, created Starry Night and Sunflowers.

About this quote

This rhetorical question suggests that a life lived without taking risks or trying new things is fundamentally empty. Van Gogh highlights courage as an essential quality that gives human existence meaning and purpose. To grow, create, or achieve anything worthwhile, one must overcome the fear of failure and be willing to step boldly into the unknown.

The sentence appears in a letter written by Vincent van Gogh to his brother Theo, dated 29 December 1881. At the time, the Dutch artist was starting his artistic journey and wrestling with family conflict and career uncertainty.

People often hang this print in a home office or creative studio for daily encouragement when starting new projects.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 19 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
• Instant download — no physical item is shipped

Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Script Whisper · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Night Script · Tracked Caps Unsigned

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.