#Art History Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh’s last painting “Wheatfield with Crows” (1890)

Finish date: 12.08.2025
Genre: Non-fiction
Rating: D
The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh – Penguin Classics (528 pg)

Bad news: As much as I like van Gogh’s paintings
his letters were 80% asking for supplies from his brother,
discussing technical aspects of drawing and color with other painters
and only 20 % describing his feelings. His decision to co-habit with  Sien (former prostitute)
and her child shattered his relationship with his parents and Theo.

Good news: The letters do give the reader a timeline of his metamorphosis  from a churchman to a painter.
He took  art lessons in The Hague, Antwerp and finally in Paris with the $$ help of his brother Theo. But you can read about this in Wikipedia as well!

Good news: The most interesting letters were from St. Rémy when het felt most happy in Southern France with his new friends in the village. Van Gogh’s mental health continued to decline , with increased episodes of depression, anxiety, and erratic behavior. In the final years (1888-1890) Vincent  was well aware of never recovering from his sickness. He would not be able to paint for much longer and  so began a frenetic period during which he produced his most famous works. There is NO consensus about van Gogh’s health. Here is an interesting LINK in which you can read  the many diagnoses concerning his health.

Bad news: The book ended quite abruptly. Vincent died in July 1890 and Theo died 6 months later in January 1891. The end. What I missed was any insight into van Gogh’s feelings about his last paintings.
I saw his LAST painting  (Wheatfield with Crows) last month in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. It was painted hours  before he shot himself in a field by  Auvers-sur-Oise, a village north of Paris.
It is stunning to see “close-up”….filled with raw emotion, ominous symbols of black crows flying wildly around (death) …and the book says nothing about it…not even in the editor’s notes.

Personal: Would I recommend the book? Not really. Go to the library and find other books about Van Gogh and his art.  Read articles on Wikipedia. Here is another  interesting LINK about van Gogh’s last painting.  This way you will learn more about Vincent and his genius than reading his letters.

Vincent does not disappoint
…only this book leaves much to be desired.