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Vincent Van Gogh- The Letters complete collection - $580 (Sagle)
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Key Features
Sketches and Illustrations — Many letters include over 240 quick drawings or "scratches" that Van Gogh added to describe his works in progress, often annotating colors in black-and-white sketches.
Languages — Written primarily in Dutch but with about a third in French, reflecting his time in France and the era's linguistic norms.
Other Correspondents — He also wrote to his sister Willemien (Wil), fellow artists like Anthon van Rappard, Émile Bernard, and Paul Gauguin, and family members.
Content and Significance
The letters reveal a thoughtful, articulate, and deeply passionate individual, countering myths of Van Gogh as merely a tormented madman. They discuss:
His religious struggles
Failed relationships
Mental health challenges
Theories on art (influenced by figures like Millet and Delacroix)
Daily life
Creative development
They serve as a vivid autobiography, documenting his evolution from early works like The Potato Eaters to masterpieces in Arles and Saint-Rémy.500207,739e3a
Examples of Van Gogh's handwritten letters, often including sketches of his paintings.cbcfd7,6cc698
Publication History
After Vincent's death in 1890 and Theo's shortly after, Theo's widow Johanna van Gogh-Bonger preserved and edited the letters, publishing the first edition in 1914. The definitive scholarly resource is the 2009 six-volume edition Vincent van Gogh – The Letters: The Complete Illustrated and Annotated Edition, accompanied by the comprehensive online archive at vangoghletters.org, where all letters are fully transcribed, translated (into English), annotated, and illustrated with sketches and related artworks.
Cover of the 2009 complete annotated edition.065aa3
The Letters. The Complete Illustrated and Annotated Edition. by ...
Popular selections include the Penguin Classics The Letters of Vincent van Gogh (edited by Ronald de Leeuw) and Ever Yours: The Essential Letters. Critics often praise the letters as literary masterpieces in their own right, comparable to classic artistic self-revelations.