Van Gogh

Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith have written another tour de force—an exquisitely detailed, compellingly readable, and ultimately heartbreaking portrait of creative genius Vincent van Gogh. 

With the full cooperation of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Naifeh and Smith have accessed a wealth of previously untapped materials, drawing liberally from the artist’s famously eloquent letters while delving into hundreds of unpublished family correspondences to illuminate with poignancy the wanderings of Van Gogh’s troubled, restless soul.

With their expert insights, Naifeh and Smith bring a crucial understanding to the larger-than-life mythology of this great artist—his early struggles to find his place in the world; his intense relationship with his brother Theo; his impetus for turning to brush and canvas; and his move to Provence, where in a brief burst of incandescent productivity he painted some best-loved works in Western art. 

The authors also shed new light on many unexplored aspects of Van Gogh’s inner world: his deep immersion in literature and art; his erratic and tumultuous romantic life; and his bouts of depression and mental illness. Through their careful research, Naifeh and Smith have produced an insightful guide to one of the most important artists of all time.