Van Gogh in writing: the artist's rarely seen letters | Collection in Focus

Did you know that Vincent van Gogh was an inveterate letter writer? In 2007, the Morgan Library & Museum acquired a set of letters by the post-Impressionist artist Van Gogh written to friends. Hear our Director Colin B. Bailey explain why these are some of the most moving and precious objects in our collection.

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter whose highly symbolic and expressive works profoundly influenced 20th century art. Despite struggling with poverty and mental illness during his life, van Gogh produced an enormous body of iconic works in just a decade, including landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and self-portraits. Some of his most famous paintings are The Starry Night, Sunflowers, Café Terrace at Night, and his various self-portraits.

[hansolo]

And then to think that he wrote these beautiful and intricate letters in what was to him a foreign language. Of all the letters he wrote 80% were in his own native Dutch and the rest mostly in French. But he could also speak and write in English and German. His letters show how far he was from 'insane'... He was highly intelligent, highly sensitive and original. A beautiful mind!

[newsamo]

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