Vincent van Gogh's letters go digital

Culture Monster reports: London is having its first Vincent van Gogh exhibition since the 1960s. (Imagine the crowds.) "The Real Van Gogh: The Artist and His Letters" is, as the title says, intended to explore the mutually illuminating art and writing of the Dutch painter, who famously corresponded with his brother, Theo, as well as various relatives, friends and other artists about the tumultuous ups and downs of his work and life.

According to the Royal Academy at Burlington House, where "The Real Van Gogh" is on view until April 18, the show is a collaboration with Leo Jansen, Hans Luijten and Nienke Bakker through Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum. Last October, those scholars celebrated the completion of a 15-year project to compile, translate and publish all of Van Gogh's known letters -- 819 written by him, plus another 83 written to him by Theo, Paul Gauguin, Paul Signac and others -- together with extensive annotation that reflects the current state of Van Gogh scholarship.

The last major (but incomplete) book of Van Gogh's letters appeared in 1954. Less ambitious editions have been published since then, but "ambitious" hardly begins to describe the new six-volume Thames & Hudson extravaganza. It comes complete with English translations from the Dutch and French -- a few letters were originally written in English -- plus supplemental texts and more than 4,000 illustrations, including all of the paintings and drawings that the artist mentions in his writings. That helps to explain the compilation's hefty price tag of €395 (about $600).

Don't despair. The exhaustive project also comes with a terrific online database, searchable and free for the using.