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Van Gogh's Women His Love Affairs and a Journey into Madness
Van Gogh's Women His Love Affairs and a Journey into Madness
Derek Fell
Age (years) : 18 - 99
Vincent van Gogh's romantic pursuits were numerous, yet none of the women he loved could fill the void of the emotional bond he sought. From his widowed first cousin, Kee, to a prostitute named Sien, and even the shy and spinsterish Margot Bergemann, Vincent declared his love for each of them. He even professed his affection to a seventeen-year-old peasant girl named Stien de Groot. In his correspondence, which includes his famous letters to his brother Theo, Vincent poured out his heart to his mother, sister Wil, and sister-in-law Johanna, expressing his desire for a wife and the emotional connection he longed for.
Author Derek Fell delves into Vincent's interior life and explores the emotional decline that plagued him. Through Vincent's letters to his sisters, Fell sensitively examines the blows that Vincent's psyche suffered, such as his rejection by Kee and the dramatic showdown with her father, where Vincent held his hand in a lantern's flame. These events continually eroded his self-worth. Fell provides an astute interpretation of van Gogh's own written words, illuminating the passions that inspired Vincent's genius and tormented his heart.
This revealing biography of the artist is seen through the lens of his loves and losses, and includes numerous illustrations. Fell's examination of Vincent's emotional journey sheds new light on the artist's life and provides a deeper understanding of his art.
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