Vincent's Choice: Van Gogh's Musee Imaginaire

This volume is an anthology of the artists who inspired Van Gogh, which offers a penetrating insight into Van Gogh's motivations and ambitions. It is published to accompany the exhibition of the same name at the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, from 14th february to 15th June, 2003. Thanks to Van Gogh's copious letters to his brother Theo and others, it has been possible to identify those works he knew and admired. His eclectic tastes may come as a surprise to some: among his heroes are Old Masters Rembrandt and Ruisdael, his contemporary Ger me, his role models Millet and Delacroix, and friends Toulouse-Lautrec, Signac and Seurat. Works by these artists, among others, are juxtaposed here with Van Gogh's own paintings. Ten essays by Van Gogh specialists examine different aspects of his tastes and motivations, explaining in the process his choice of subjects. The Mus e Imaginaire itself displays some 175 luminous reproductions, accompanied by quotations from Van Gogh's own correspondence - shedding fascinating light on his artistic life.