Though he was first and foremost a painter, Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) had a deep love of literature, chronicled in great detail in the wealth of letters to his brother Theo. Some 800 references to works by more than 150 authors show a broad and eclectic literary interest. The Bible and Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Emile Zola were among his favourites. Books shaped his ideas about art and life. They also inspired many of his paintings. David Swatling browses through “Vincent’s Bookshelf” with Dr. Leo Jansen of the Van Gogh Museum’s Letter Project.
Producer: David Swatling
Broadcast: March 30, 2003