Vincent van Gogh’s letters are frequently admired for their exceptional literary quality, but there is no extended critique of this aspect of his writing. Addressing key constellations of metaphors and ideas, The Letters of Vincent van Gogh shows the remarkable imaginative coherence underlying the painter’s correspondence and charts van Gogh’s evolving conception of himself as an artist.
Table of Contents
Contents
Preface and Acknowledgements
Introduction: Letters as Literature
Part I Vincent Agonistes: Religion, Morality, Art
Religious Convictions, Moral Imperatives
The Artistic Life and Its Limits
Part II Thinking in Images
Birds’ Nests: Art and Nature, Exile and Return
The Mistral: Creativity and Adversity
Cab Horses: Despair and Optimism
Part III Exploring with Ideas
By Heart: The Creative Unconscious
A Handshake Till Your Fingers Hurt: Autonomy and Dependency
Something New Without a Name: Beyond Religion, Morality, Art
Conclusion: “My Own Portrait in Writing”
Notes
Index