Van Gogh was a tormented soul, soft and a rebel at the same time, very much characterized b9 contrasts, withdrawals and b9 intense excitements; Vincent Van Gogh the artist will live a passionate adventure, one of an art- possessed man always on the verge of madness. One has to beware of legends and in Van Gogh's case, of romanticized biographies or movies; here, we are talking of a man, of an artist, one of the world's greatest with a tragic destiny, not of a character in a novel; a man, son of clergy man, obsessed b9 helpingthe poverty-stricken and the deprived to whom he wishes to unveil the reality of a merciful god.

Van Gogh was a tormented soul, soft and a rebel at the same time, very much characterized b9 contrasts, withdrawals and b9 intense excitements; Vincent Van Gogh the artist will live a passionate adventure, one of an art- possessed man always on the verge of madness. One has to beware of legends and in Van Gogh's case, of romanticized biographies or movies; here, we are talking of a man, of an artist, one of the world's greatest with a tragic destiny, not of a character in a novel; a man, son of clergy man, obsessed b9 helpingthe poverty-stricken and the deprived to whom he wishes to unveil the reality of a merciful god.

Failure first makes Van Gogh a reporter with a black and grey bencil, of the humble and of their lugubrious settings, then a painter; his works stemmed out of 4 9ears, between 1886 and 1890; from Holland to Paris where his painting brightened up with impressionistic colours and to Aries where his still myste-rious friendship with Gauguin shattered against the most violent of all oppositions. All along the 150 illustrations showcased in this stunning monograph9 by a world renowned art historian Vincent's life will appear authentic and true to the reader.

Painter or pastor

The first year in Paris

The plunge into povert9

First "little drawing"

The apostle of the Borinage

Art as redemption

"An enormous emptiness settled into m9 heart..."

Digging deep into painting like a man plowing a field

The Potato Eaters

"1 still have a lot of trouble hearingthe colors"

The light of Ile de France

Contacts and influences in Paris

Looking into his own face

Dazzled by Provence

Biscoveringthe Midi

The Aries portraits

A broken bond

The depths of passion

Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear

The earth convulsed

Who killed Vincent Van Gogh?

"I did it for everyone's good"