Vincent Van Gogh's radiant and dramatic masterpieces are renowned throughout the world. The first of the Dutch Expressionists, he used color mainly for its emotive appeal, and his turbulent life is reflected in his art. He once said that he was expressing the 'terrible human passions' with the colors red and green, and these pure colors dominate many of his works with bold uncompromising brushstrokes..Among early influences were the melancholy landscapes of the Hague School, with their nostalgic view of pre-industrial Holland. The importance Van Gogh attached to a sense of communion between artist and nature was one of the dominant characteristics of his mature work. During his two-year stay in Paris in 1886-88 he felt his way toward a more bravura touch and brighter coloring, assimilating motifs and ideas from the wide range of artistic influences then on offer, including Japanese woodblock prints.His move to Arles in 1888 marked the start of Van Gogh's most productive period. Inspired by the Provençal landscape, with its strength of color and clarity of atmosphere, he painted a large number of his most famous works during the relatively brief period before his tragic death in 1890.In this stunningly illustrated volume, art historian Frank Milner introduces 60 of Van Gogh's most characteristic works, showing clearly the gradual unfolding of his genius. He argues that, even when Van Gogh was confined in the asylum at St Rémy, the 'anguish' he expressed in his agitated brushstrokes and swirling landscapes was never intended as despair. As these magnificent full-color reproductions show, there was no lessening in the characteristic intensity of color in the 80 or more paintings produced in the last two months of his life. This introduction to Van Gogh's life and work provides an impressive tribute to one of the most popular artists of all time. --