In August, Van Gogh moved to a nearby village and took up drawing and writing - which he had been doing recreationally for years, for his own pleasure - as a more serious endeavor.
But his commitment backfired - the church committee that had hired him saw this as extravagant posturing of humility and fired him.
He devoted himself wholeheartedly to the task and, in solidarity with the poor, gave away all of his possessions to live in a tiny hut, where he slept on the ground. In January of 1879, twenty-six-year-old Van Gogh, who had dropped out of high school, was given a six-month appointment as a preacher in a small village - a job that consisted of giving Bible readings, teaching schoolchildren, and caring for the sick and poor. Van Gogh's tender and often ebullient letters provide a sharp contrast to the devastating and frequently violent mental breakdowns that plagued and eventually destroyed him.Ĭollected and edited by art historian Mark Roskill, this volume also includes a chronology, a short memoir by van Gogh's sister-in-law that fills in many of the blanks of Vincent's early years, and reproductions of selected artwork discussed in van Gogh's letters.Īn epistolary classic, The Letters of Vincent van Gogh is not just an important historical collection but also a captivating treasure.Long before Vincent van Gogh (March 30, 1853–July 29, 1890) became a creative legend and attained such mastery of art that he explained nature better than science, he confronted the same existential challenge many young people and aspiring artists face as they set out to find their purpose and do what they love - something that often requires the discomfiting uncertainty of deviating from the beaten path. Also documented are Vincent's close relationships with fellow artists, especially Paul Gauguin.
The letters expose Vincent's creative process his joy and inspiration derived from literature, Japanese art, and nature as well as his many romantic disappointments and constant poverty. This collection of letters, arranged in chronological order and written to Vincent's closest confidant, his brother and art dealer, Theo, provide a riveting narrative of van Gogh's life. Though Vincent van Gogh is often thought of as a mad genius, in The Letters of Vincent van Gogh the thoughtful, effervescent, and sensitive man is revealed to readers through his own voice. A literary classic, The Letters of Vincent van Gogh Captures the voice of one of the most beloved and important artists of all time.
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