Follow Vincent van Gogh's development from the devoutly religious young man to the tortured painter who produced many of his greatest masterpieces while living in a mental asylum. Van Gogh used paint in a new expressive way. Bold colours in thickly applied layers gave his canvases an intensity that mirrored his life.What inspired this troubled genius and why was only one of these vibrant works sold in Vincent's lifetime? Contemporary photographs sketches and the artist's own revealing often poignant letters are presented alongside superb colour reproductions of many of van Gogh's major and lesser-known paintings. Interweaving biography with in-depth analysis of key techniques themes and stylistic approaches Van Gogh provides a complete understanding of the artist's extraordinary character and work.