Van Gogh's Flowers by Judith Bumpus; 1998. Hardcover.

Towards the end of Van Gogh's short life, during his time in Provence, his pictures of flowers and plants acquired a singular beauty and intensity. Nature and the countryside provided him with the inspiration, restorative power and freshness of subject matter for which he seems to have yearned. The sight of trees in blossom, flowery meadows, sunflowers and irises prompted endless experiments in colour and movement to result in a wealth of vibrant and intensely beautiful paintings. This stunning book celebrates Van Gogh's profound love of flowers. It contains a broad selection of ravishing colour illustrations, together with a number of the artist's alluring and intriguing pen-and-ink drawings, which demonstrate the vigorous and individual calligraphy of his work. The text draws upon Van Gogh's own moving and descriptive letters to show the great importance to him of nature and flowers, and includes documentary material that is essential and exclusive.