Karl Marx · Vincent van Gogh Were Karl Marx and Vincent van Gogh alive at the same time? Yes. Karl Marx and Vincent van Gogh were alive at the same time for 29 years, from 1853 to 1883. Karl Marx was 34 when Vincent van Gogh was born.Vincent van Gogh was 29 when Karl Marx died, aged 64. Karl MarxGerman-born philosopherBorn 5 May 1818 · died 14 March 1883, aged 64Vincent van GoghDutch painterBorn 30 March 1853 · died 29 July 1890, aged 37 NapoleonAbraham LincolnKarl MarxVincent van GoghMahatma GandhiVladimir LeninAlbert EinsteinAdolf Hitler Karl Marx and Vincent van Gogh in bold, with some of their best-known contemporaries. Drag across to see the age each reached in any year. Faded ends mark uncertain dates.