The edition, based on fifteen years of research, was edited by Leo Jansen, Hans Luijten and Nienke Bakker of the Van Gogh Museum, in association with the Huygens Institute.
For each of the 902 letters the edition gives a transcription of the original Dutch or French text, a translation into English, a full (zoomable) facsimile, comprehensive annotation, and illustrations (about 2000 in all) of the works of art discussed in the letters.