Letters. Vincent van Gogh

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Letters of Vincent van Gogh - they are the basic source of information on inner life of the great artist, for he always stayed in touch with his younger brother, the Theo van Gogh and shared with him his deepest thoughts and contemplations on the nature of art and spiritual problems, discussed works of modern and classic painters and poets, always enquired about his relatives and tried very hard to help his beloved brother to be a righteous and happy man.

By rehashing the chronology of their epistles one can basically study the timeline of Vincent's artistic career and large part of his biography. They started their written communication in 1872 and ended it - logically - in 1890, and this timespan confined all the major and minor events in Vincent's life: Theo's work at 's office of famous Parisian art dealers' company Goupil & Cie and Vincent's occupation at The office of the same company; Vincent's transfer to and Theo's - to ; Vincent's happy life in , his unhappy love affair, further problems at work and his dismissal in 1876; his odd jobs in England and the Netherlands; his unsuccessful pursue of clerical career; his turn to painting as a main thing and occupation in his life; his residence with his parents in Etten; his life in The , quarrel with Antone , bizarre love affairs and illness; his deepening immersion into the art, "The Potato Eaters", arising inclination towards smoking and absinthe, "Still-Life With Straw Hat and Pipe"; his stay in , "Plum Tree in Blossom", acquiantance with Impressionists and Neo-Impressionists, "Portrait of Pere Tanguy", life together with Theo - at last! - but for not too long, "Bridge across the Seine at Asnieres", friendship with Paul Gauguine; famous Arles period, "Bedroom in Arles", co-work and quarrel with Gauguine, "The Yellow House", notorious ear-cutting episode, "The Night Cafe", illness, asylum, "The Sunflowers"; hospital, "The Starry Night", treatment, "At Eternity's Gate", discharging from hospital and suicide.

All what we have always known and all what we have never known about van Gogh's life and art found its reflection and was heavily commented on in these letters, many of which were not dated, but its chronology was re-established by scholars. And it is the scholars who are greatly benefited from studying van Gogh's letters, because they help to shed light on many aspects and every period of life and works. All, except one - 1886-1888, while he was living in with Theo and logically had no need in writing letters to the brother.

It is these letters that help to establish a so-called van Gogh's philosophy - in his epistles to the younger brother he formulated his opinions concerning every problem of importance for him: art, morals, family, religion. Letters are abundant in quotations, translations and exegises of the Bible's passages; there are plenty of "to see"-lists of paintings and speculations and analytical sketches on different artists' works; many of his letters were accompanied with reproductions of paintings or copies of poems. Vincent tried to be with his brother if not physically, then at least spiritually. That was his - moral and spiritual - form of helping: Theo supplied him with painting materials and with money, for Vincent had no work, except painting for the last part of his life. And his paintings and drawings - enormous in number - were never sold in his lifetime.

About 600 letters from Vincent to Theo have survived and about 40 - from Theo to Vincent. Vincent has also written letters to other people - his other friends or other people anyhow connected to his family (sister Wil van Gogh, van Stockum-Haanebeek family, Emile Bernard, etc). But the main - and the most important - part of Vincent van Gogh's letters collection is constituted by his correspondence with his brother, Theo van Gogh.