Although better known for his landscapes and flowers, Van Gogh considered portraits to be his most important work. This book gives a nice overview of the development of painting styles and colors by grouping work chronologically. The work changes depending on Van Gogh's location, his state of mind and the styles that he tries. One thing that stays the same is his ability to capture the essence of his subject. He often paints himself but there are many other models that appear and frequently the same people modeled multiple times. Skea references many sources and provides a nice bibliography for further reading. Photos never really do justice to paintings but this book is nicely done and if you can't see it in person, a decent way to consider the work.
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