This groundbreaking publication, a companion to Van Gogh at Work (see opposite), shows how the artist experimented with an enormous range of materials and techniques in his paintings and drawings. The result of an extensive research project carried out by the Van Gogh Museum, Shell, and the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage, this book discusses the artist's decisions to work with certain supports, priming layers, pigments, and inks, all of which had a profound effect on his final works. Also included are vast amounts of new information concerning van Gogh's resources, working conditions, and methods as well as potential influences on his work.

Presented in detail is an overview of art that Van Gogh saw in exhibitions, handbooks he was able to acquire, and the materials and tools available at the time. The combination of art historical, scientific, and technical knowledge provides a better sense of how Van Gogh's artwork originally looked, encouraging reconsideration of future conservation efforts.