Vincent van Gogh wrote over 800 letters that explain almost everything we know about his life and art.

Vincent van Gogh wrote these letters between 1872 and 1890. Out of the 800 surviving letters, 663 were sent to his brother Theo. Theo was an art dealer who gave Vincent money to live and buy paint. Vincent wrote in Dutch, French, and English because he lived in several different countries.After both brothers died, Theo's wife, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, collected the letters. She spent years translating and organizing them. She published them in 1914. This book made Vincent famous because people could finally understand his thoughts and his hard life.The letters include small drawings of the paintings Vincent was working on at the time. These sketches help historians prove exactly when he finished certain artworks. He also wrote about the specific colors he used. For example, he used red and green in 'The Night Café' to show strong emotions.Vincent also wrote about his favorite books and authors like Charles Dickens. The letters show how his mental health changed over time. He even had a letter for Theo in his pocket when he died. Today, these letters are kept in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.