The Real Van Gogh: The Artist and His Letters Hardcover – Illustrated, April 1, 2010

I can not stop reading this is an amazing book. A lot of great passionate information. The more I read the more I love Vincent Van Gogh

Van Gogh was SELF-TAUGHT.After a VERY difficult experience as a preacher (where he actually had some AMAZING insights that have been ignored)he wanted to try something different.He said "I'm going to become an artist!"He didn't know anything.He started from scratch, just with pencil sketches and then on to charcoal and paint.He chronicled it ALL in a MASSIVE collection of letters to others, mostly his brother, that have now all been translated into English, complete with the ongoing sketches chronicling every aspect of the journey from virtual stick figures to eternal masterpieces.An affordable way to traverse this journey with him is in this recent book!

Great book! Bought it for my mom and she loved it

The most intelligent Van Gogh coffee table book on the market.The reproductions are good and the text level headed. All at a great price.

While it is estimated that Van Gogh wrote around 2000 letters, only 819 are known to exist now. 90% of these documents are housed in the Amsterdam Van Gogh Museum. This book is a catalogue of a recent London Royal Academy exhibition that links the artist's letters with his paintings and drawings.There are a number of illustrations of the letters in varying grades of magnification. Normally there are sketches on these letters of a projected complete work. In this exhibition the associated drawing or painting is also featured. There are a number of completed works illustrated without any accompanying letter but the annotations make reference to Van Gogh's writings about these paintings or drawings in the letters. A total 154 exhibits (including the artist's last and unfinished letter) are presented in this book.While some of the art works are familiar, many are from uncommon sources and would be a pleasant surprize for all but experts on the artist. It is to be noted that this exhibition was related to the publication of the complete letters by Thames and Hudson (also visible on the internet); that highly praised multivolume set is very expensive and bulky. As with most Royal Academy publications, the general printing and quality of the color reproductions are excellent. A must for Van Gogh enthusiasts.

I have been after a book by my favourite artist for a while and finally decided on this. It is a large and heavy book with many very good illustrations. I was disappointed that there was no sign of my favourite painting ' Starry Night Over The Rhone' but really that is being a bit churlish on my part.With segments from many of Vincent's letters to his brother Theo this really is a fine book that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Excellent selection of VG's paintings and real insight into his life through his own letters. Highly recommended.

Solid book, with loads of paintings and descriptions, well worth the money !

great reproductions, not too much blurb, good descriptions for the art lover this book is intended for.

terrific book