Color and Value

No worries. I am not comparing myself to the great Van Gogh. But I am using him as an example of perhaps the greatest colorist of all time. He dances with color. He plays with color. But he always gets the values right.
Do you think he saw the world differently than the rest of us do? Perhaps? Was he playing or working super hard and was a genius ?
Maybe all of the above.

What I have learned so far:
Value shape painting is what I do and what I love to do. If I can ever find a color spot of value I am thrilled and look at all the color spots of value in the self portrait! I truly find it hard to breathe when I see his work.