| Notes | Vincent van Gogh was not only a pioneering artist but also a gifted writer. The hundreds of letters that he wrote to his brother Theo and to artist friends such as Paul Gauguin and Émile Bernard are a nondescript commentary on his life and artistry. At the same time, writing helped him develop his thoughts: writing as a form of thinking - about art, life, literature, painting technique and artistic ambitions. About constant struggle and limited success; about despair and illness.
Van Gogh's ability to observe and his sharp analysis of people and circumstances go hand in hand with a strong sense of language and accurate formulations. He wrote straight from the heart, unpolished and honest. Noncommittance was a mortal sin for Van Gogh and, just as in his art, there is always something at stake when writing. Because of that drive, his letters are among the most moving artist's correspondences in world literature. |
