The brilliantly colored paintings of Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) are loved around the world. This stunning volume accompanies the largest exhibition of the artist's works outside the Netherlands in more than 25 years. The show opens at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in October 1998 and at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in January 1999.

This unique group of paintings is from the extraordinary collection of the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, home to the single greatest assemblage of the artist's paintings, drawings, and letters. The collection is based on works acquired directly from the artist by his brother Theo, an art dealer and the source of Vincent's financial and emotional support. Among the museum's treasures reproduced here are some of the best-known images in art: Potato Eaters, The Bedroom, Self-Portrait as an Artist, Harvest, and Wheatfield with Crows.

Richard Kendall's essay addresses Van Gogh's major themes and the different phases of his career. John Leighton contributes a history of the Van Gogh Museum and a biography of the artist.

Richard Kendall is an independent scholar.

John Leighton is director of the Van Gogh Museum