"Vincent van Gogh's story is one of the most ironic in art history. Today, he is celebrated the world one over as one of the most important painters of all time, recognized with sell-out shows, feted museums, and record prices of tens of million of dollars at auction. Yet as he was painting the canvases that would subsequently become these sell-out modern masterpieces, van Gogh was battling not only the disinterest of his contemporary audiences but also devestating bouts of mental illness, with episodes of depression and paralyzing anxiety which would eventually claim his life in 1890, when he commited suicide shortly after his 37th birthday. This comprehensive study of Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) pairs a detailed monograph on his life and art with a complete catalogue of his 871 paintings."--Jacket.