Van Gogh's Christmas Angel

This is the first book ever to explore Vincent van Gogh's Christmas imagination. In September 1889, a lonely Vincent van Gogh painted an angel. Inspired by a Rembrandt etching of the Christmas angel-originally believed to be modeled on the sixteenth-century artist's son, Titus-Van Gogh reimagined the figure with luminous gold and deep blue hues. At the time, Van Gogh was a mental health patient in Saint-Rémy's Saint Paul Asylum, in the south of France. For Van Gogh, the angel carried layers of meaning: not only a divine messenger with a comforting message "Do not be afraid" (just the thing he needed to hear at the time), but a tender echo of Willem, the beloved son of his former companion, Christine "Sien" Hoornik.

As Van Gogh's Christmas angel suggests, the holidays held a paradoxical meaning for the famous artist. It was both a time of light and yet also difficult family obligations. This book explores Van Gogh's holiday-themed art and how it can help us navigate the emotional complexities of the holiday season. Each chapter focuses on a different piece of art and includes a meditation as well as thoughtful questions for personal reflection or group discussion. There are 33 illustrations included.