Vincent Van Gogh

by Vincent Van Gogh

Published 1 January 1978
Throughout his life, Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) wrote hundreds of letters, mostly to his brother Theo, who acted as patron, agent and sounding board to an artist whose life was fraught with poverty, a struggle for fame and alternating fits of madness and lucidity. Van Gogh also corresponded with other family members and fellow artists, including Paul Gaugin. His letters, which were collected and published in 1924 by Theo's wife, Johanna, exhibit Van Gogh's genius and depth of observation and feeling in its most naked form. Here, they have been excerpted and re-translated and set side-by-side with his drawings and paintings from the same period.