Vincent van Gogh's story is one of the most ironic in art history. Today, he is celebrated the world over as one of the most important painters of all time, recognized with sell-out shows, feted museums, and record prices of tens of millions of dollars at auction.
Yet as he was painting the canvases that would subsequently become these sell-out modern masterpieces, van Gogh was battling not only the disinterest of his contemporary audiences but also devastating bouts of mental illness, with episodes of depression and paralyzing anxiety which would eventually claim his life in 1890, when he committed suicide shortly after his 37th birthday.
This comprehensive study of Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) pairs a detailed monograph on his life and art with a complete catalogue of his 871 paintings.
About the series
Bibliotheca Universalis – Compact cultural companions celebrating the
eclectic TASCHEN universe!
Author Biography
Rainer Metzger studied art history, history, and German literature in Munich and
Augsburg. In 1994, he earned his Ph.D. on the subject of Dan Graham, and
subsequently worked as a fine arts journalist for the Viennese newspaper Der
Standard. He has written numerous books on art, including volumes on van Gogh
and Chagall. Since 2004, he has worked as Professor of art history at the
Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsruhe. Ingo F. Walther (1940–2007) was born in
Berlin and studied medieval studies, literature, and art history in Frankfurt am
Main and Munich. He published numerous books on the art of the Middle Ages and
of the 19th and 20th centuries. Walther's many titles for TASCHEN include
Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Art of the 20th Century, and Codices
illustres.