Vincent van Gogh's work has had a profound influence on twentieth-century art, and his extraordinary life is almost as renowned as his paintings. A prolific artist, he produced hundreds of paintings and drawings in a career lasting a mere ten years - the last ten years of his life. The largest and most representative collection in the world of Van Gogh's work once belonged to the Van Gogh family, and is now held at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The collection comprises some 200 paintings and 500 drawings, as well as sketchbooks and over 700 letters. This complete catalogue of the collection, to be published in seven volumes, has been meticulously compiled and reflects the most up-to-date research on the artist. Four volumes are devoted to the drawings, and three to the paintings. Vincent Van Gogh Drawings Volume 1: The early years 1880-83 concentrates on the early drawings of Van Gogh, as he embarked upon his professional career as an artist in 1880. It includes sixty-eight drawings reproduced in full-colour, an in-depth analysis of each drawing, and full catalogue details on all works. The series of volumes thus constitutes a complete reference guide to the work of Vincent Van Gogh, and represents the most important recent contribution to studies on the artist.

This volume concentrates on the early drawings, as Van Gogh embarked upon his professional career as an artist in 1880, and includes sixty-eight drawings reproduced in full colour.