Book Description
Vincent van Gogh is one of the world's most famous artists. Throughout his life, he wrote to his younger brother, Theo, about his colorful, dynamic paintings. This book pairs the artist's paintings with his own words.

Van Gogh's descriptions, arranged as a simple rhyme, introduce young readers to all the colors of the rainbow and beyond. The descriptive words combine with spectacular reproductions of many of the artist's most beloved and important works to create a perfect art book for young and old alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Linking Literacy and the Arts
I have been an early childhood educator for over 36 years and am delighted that "Vincent's Colors" is available to my young students, ages 3-6.It is an exquisite introduction not only to the work of Vincent VanGogh but to the observation of color and art forms.In addition, the vocabulary associated with each picture links literacy to this introduction to art. Research clearly shows that the arts strengthen brain connections, particularly during the first five years of life. Every young child deserves this book in their early library!

Love This Book!
This is a beautiful book and a wonderful introduction to art for young children.In addition, children who are just learning to read can read the book themselves.My kindergarten aged grandson can read most of the book and loves to talk with an adult about the art.This book links meaningfully to the Baby Van GoghBaby Van Gogh video in the Baby Einstein series.

Great for all ages
I am a teacher in a class of 2 year olds and they LOVE this book. I have to read it at least 3 times per week, in addition to the children "reading" it themselves.The pictures are so bright and the words are so simple. We have even done pictures based on their favorite painting "Starry Night". I highly recommend this book to be added to any personal or classroom collection, especially if you are promoting art.

vincents colors
Vincents Colors is a beautiful book.I purchased it for my preschool to go along with the theme of illustrators and authors. The teachers used this book as a resource to go along with that theme.The children loved looking at the pictures.

a book to treasure
I used this book for many lessons, integrating the visual art as well as the writing component. very lovely, easy for young children to relate to, stimulates their own artisty and a lovely book to own. ... Read more

Book Description
"Brad" explores the ups and downs of van Gogh's life and art in this colorful report, featuring Brad's funny cartoons alongside reproductions of classic paintings like Starry Night. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The "Smart About..." series of books are wonderful
My 5, 6 and 8 yr old kids are entranced when I read them the Smart About Art books.After reading one, I came back to Amazon and ordered as many as I could.

They are written as a student would write a book report, but are humorous, touching and extremely informative with plenty of examples of the artists' work.I attended Art School 20+ years ago and it was a refresher course for me as well.It includes background/personal info about the artist, but only as much as a child can comprehend and as it pertains to his art.These books have just the right amount of info on the artists and their work.

I wanted to share the world of art with my kids.Though my youngest two still use coloring books and my oldest reads chapter books without illustrations, these Smart About Art picture books are the perfect mix where they all can gain something from them--this series is neither too young nor too advanced.

After years of reading picture books, my kids often ask "can that really happen?" or "is that person real?" I wanted a break from the imaginative world of children's lit and now I'm happy to finally answer "Yes, this person really existed, this really happened!" after reading the Smart About Art books.

Great intro to the artist
My five year old was so inspired reading this that she went to the basement and proceeded to make her own copies of his works.It is nice and simple, but with a decent amount of info and great pics.

Gogh for it!
I wanted something to spark my 6YO son's interest in art. This book sure did. He asked me to read it to him a 2nd time right on the spot. He also spotted a Van Gogh print that I brought home. This is a fine series. I also got the Degas which wasn't quite as interesting but he still liked it. I just ordered Picasso and a few others. Get the Van Gogh and if your child loves it, try some of the others. (I also liked that this mentioned Van Gogh was very depressed once at loving a woman who didn't love him back.)

Starry Light....I mean Starry Night
This is what my daughter called the famous painting when I first bought her this book.She is almost 4 and has owned this book for about 9 months and it is regularly a favorite that she likes to read...well, more often she likes to look at the pictures and name the paintings.This is a great intro to art book for young children.I highly recommend as a first book for your little art-lover, or art-lover-to-be.

Great, funny book with good facts and paintings
My daughter read this book for a class report, and we liked the fact that this book coincidentally was written as though it was a child's report about Van Gogh. She was intrigued to find out that Van Gogh sold only one painting in his lifetime, and was not a rich artist. The humor in the writing and illustrations make this book accessible, fun, and informative, and help kids relate the artist's life. The evolution of Van Gogh's painting style beginning with Potato Eaters and the influences on his art are discussed in understandable terms. It was fun to learn that throughout his life, Vincent's best buddy was his brother Theo, even though they fought as siblings often do. The book contains many photos of Van Gogh's actual paintings.Great book. We both recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description
Vincent van Gogh–one of the 19th century’s most brilliant artists–will forever be remembered as the Dutchman who cut off his ear. But this incident only underscores the passion that consumed him–a passion that, when he took up painting at age 27, infused his work. Whether painting a portrait, a landscape, or a still life, Van Gogh sought to capture the vibrant spirit of his subject. It didn’t matter that others found his work too unconventional. Van Gogh persevered. And as he moved from the cold climate of Holland to balmy southern France, he pioneered a new technique and style.
In a career spanning only a decade, Van Gogh painted many great works, yet fame eluded him. This lack of recognition increased his self-doubts and bitter disappointments. Today, however, Van Gogh stands as a giant among artists.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Letters from Vincent to his brother and patron
Vincent Van Gogh only painted for ten years of his life but his paintings are still compelling to modern audiences. This biography of the painter is directed to ages 10 and older and provides a discussion of not only his works, but why he went mad and why he cut off his ear. Letters from Vincent to his brother and patron explore his behaviors and thinking. ... Read more

Amazon.com
This thorough collection of van Gogh's letters has been assembled with an artful eye and sensitivity to the artist's thinking. The result is an atypical take on Vincent van Gogh that avoids putting too much stress on his troubled mental state and too much straining by the editor to shape a narrative out of van Gogh's epistolary clues. Instead, we see the thoughtful and contemplative side of this creative genius, as well as his concern for the impact his art and life had on those people closest to him. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

van Gogh: A Writer and Painter
To read Van Gogh's letters is to come as close to sitting aside this world class artist as possible. I dare say, he wrote almost as good as he painted--his passion verily jumps off the page.

In this addition, we are treated to an excellent selection of Van Gogh's letters (mainly to his brother Theo) from each seminal period in his extraordinary life. In between the sections, the editor provides us with fascinating details into the travails of Van Gogh's personal life.

Alongside Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet, this collection is essential reading for all artists.

intimate look into the artistic process
this collection of van gogh's letters to his brother Theo both captivated me and broke my heart.Such an intimate look into the vulnerability of the artistic soul.Those who appreciate the artistic process will love this collection of letters.You don't need to be an admirer of Van Gogh's to appreciate this; but you will walk away admiring the man behind the sunflowers.

The greatest letters ever written by an artist
Van Gogh is a tremendously powerful letter- writer. In these letters mostly written to his brother we see a great , suffering , soul, a devoted artist tormented and striving. This may all sound like 'cliche' but Van Gogh is perhaps the most conspicuous example of the cliche of the suffering , rejected in- his- life artist who knows great recognition only after death.
Van Gogh is a person of great intelligence, and of a very strong conscience. There are no greater letters I think ever written by an artist.And while they may be filled with a troubled and agonized spirit they too have a great richness of feeling and appreciationof life.

"the best way to love God is to love many things"
A very fine collection of the letters, with multiple sides of VVG revealed. To read a collection of letters by an artist whose work you know very well is to invite yourself to take a look at him as a person. As a person, I found that I liked him best in these letters when he was struggling with his religion, his art, and his purpose. I'm glad that Roskill didn't make a selection that focused solely on the more famous and theatrical depressions.

I don't agree that this work reveals Van Gogh as a writer. For me, they definitely confirmed his status as a painter. At his best in these letters, he's painting with words.

Which doesn't make it a less interesting read. I found this a good adjunct to taking a look at the work again, it added an extra dimension to experiencing him as a painter.

Well worth the time it takes.

An Intimate Look
I bought this book several years ago in a college bookstore. How fortunate these students were to have been able to read and discuss this with others! I have had a long interest in Van Gogh and found this book to be fascinating, an almost voyeuristic look into his short life. I am glad to see that it is available * *and would hope that people now seeing the traveling Van Gogh portraiture exhibit might read it.

De Leeuw has compiled letters covering over 25 years of Van Gogh's life, letters that offer the reader an intimate look into the artist's thoughts and emotions. He writes about his friendships, his family, his attempts at love affairs, his religious beliefs and questions, and most importantly, about his art. Theseletters reveal him as anything but the anti-social person often portrayed in the past, with the ones abouthis relationship with his brother Theo being particularly touching.

Van Gogh was a prolific correspondent and an absolutely wonderful writer. His prose is remarkable--he could have been a writer as well as an artist. These letters shed light on the inner thoughts and the inspiration for his art and show him as a person of great passion and compassion. ... Read more

Book Description
Throughout his life, Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) wrote hundreds of letters, many to his brother Theo. Theo acted as patron, agent, and sounding board to the artist whose life was fraught with poverty, a struggle for recognition, and alternating fits of madness and lucidity. Van Gogh also corresponded with other family members and fellow artists, including his dear friends Paul Gauguin and Emile Bernard. His letters, originally collected by Theo’s wife, Johanna, exhibit Van Gogh’s genius, his depth of observation, and his feelings in their most naked form.

In Vincent Van Gogh these letters have been excerpted, newly translated, and set side-by-side with more than 250 of his drawings and paintings. Van Gogh’s words and art illuminate each other and reveal a portrait of the artist as never seen before. The commentary of H. Anna Suh frames Van Gogh’s work and puts his art, letters, life, and struggles into rich context. The result is this timeless jewel of a collection, unlike any other Van Gogh book that has gone before. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very nice
It is a pleasure to see Van Gogh's original handwriting in his letters, accompanied by drawings and skecthes. Highly recommended.

A Super Van Gogh book
I was so pleased to find this book in the library and after readint it I had to own it.I have many Van Gogh books. This one is espeically interesting since the editor minimized her words on the first page of every chapter.The words after that are Van Gogh's words taken from his letters to Theo and various others.I find it extremelly intersting to read what he wrote about his works as he did them.This is a terrific book. ... Read more

Amazon.com
No other painter better embodies the idea of the torturedartist than Vincentvan Gogh. Modern-art historian Meyer Schapiro recognizes this whenhe states that "what is most important is that van Gogh convertedall this aspiration and anguish into his art, which thus became thefirst example of a truly personal art, art as a deeply lived means ofspiritual deliverance or transformation of the self...." Whatnaturally follows from Schapiro is not only a synopsis of van Gogh'sartistic career and personal travails, but also an insightful analysisof van Gogh's technique and handling of paint, and how they manipulatethe viewer's emotional response to his paintings. With a sympatheticyet penetrating essay by Schapiro, this book is a pleasure to read forvan Gogh enthusiasts of any level. The more expert art historian mightprefer van Gogh's drawings, of which approximately 20 are reproducedhere in black and white. It is for his paintings, however, that oneadmires van Gogh, and this book's 49 full-page color plates withaccompanying comments by Schapiro are its strength. Van Goghcontains works from no less than 30 different worldwide collections tobetter represent all phases of the artist's development, and includeshis most famous and best-loved works.Book Description
This exciting new art series combines the most popular artists with expert text and a fresh, unique, format destined to appeal to children and adults alike.Each of the Rizzoli Quadrifolios features sixteen foldout pages that open into huge poster-sized reproductions of the work, allowing readers to feel as though they have leaped into work itself.The series begins with two artists whose work continually compels audiences: Michelangelo and Van Gogh.Vincent Van Gogh features a variety of the best-known paintings by the Dutch artist, whose work continually breaks records at auctions.A tour of Van Gogh's portraits will travel to major American museums throughout 200 and 2001. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Beautiful images heightened by unusual binding
This unusual book was quite a find.It was made using a binding process I've never seen before.The pages actually unfold in a variety of ways to present images of Van Gogh's best loved paintings in a highly effective manner.Some pages fold out horizontally and present four works side-by-side, others fold out twice forming small posters.The quality of the graphics is excellent--especially the minute details shown in some of the enlarged reproductions.A beautiful volume and an asset to anyone who loves art. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Wonderful Biography
I just finished this excellent biography this afternoon. After reading Stone's Lust for Life, I was curious to read a regular biography about Van Gogh. This is not exactly a "regular" biography, but I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless. Meier-Graefe blurs the line between historical fiction and biographical nonfiction. The result is really fantastic. I felt like I got a sense of Van Gogh's tortured soul, his complex relationships (with his brother, with Gauguin..), and how it all worked together to create his art. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Impressionist Coloring Book For Kids Of Any Age
I am a fan of this series of books, and especially appreciate their utility in introducing great art to children and young adults. I am a great admirer of Vincent van Gogh, and have always appreciated his unique style and especially his brushwork. In my mind his use of dynamic brushstrokes and bright contrasting colors defines impressionism for all time. The problem, of course, is that these characteristics are impossible to reproduce in a coloring book or paint-by-numbers book of any sort.

While I prefer the abstract coloring books from the same series, I recognize that impressionism is more difficult to reproduce than the (generally) hard-lined linearity inherent in abstract art. While I considered giving this book four stars due to the impossibilities in reproducing a van Gogh masterpiece, I elected to give it five because of the educational and inspirational value that exposing people to these great works intrinsically has.

The book is well printed, and comes with a nice color guide for rendering the individual pieces. It is a bargain, and is a great, interactive way to introduce kids (or adults new to van Gogh, for that matter) to the work of the master impressionist.

Pretty good
This is a great coloring book for adults.I use it as a time to just do something a little mindless.Its a nice change to have a book like this that isn't a bunch of cartoons intended for 5 year olds.

Careful!
I think we can all agree that, although he depicted some perfectly pleasant scenes of quaint countryside and rural life, Van Gogh's approach to paint application and colour was way off. How many times did he spoil, say, a nice waving wheat scene with turmultuous swirling colours, giving a dark psychological insight into a tormented psyche, at odds with the scene depicted? He couldn't even paint a nice starry sky without expressing through colour, texture and dynamic motion a radical and unique vision of personal torment, at odds with the artistic conventions of the time. This book, then, is a godsend; a chance to rectify Van Gogh's stylistic mistakes in the area of colour application, while retaining the charming scenes of the French countryside.
A word of warning, however: this book is really not suitable for children or similarly impressionable people. I gave it to a young nephew who, after spending quite some time colouring in the nice birds over the wheat field, cut his ear off!

Good adult therapy
I was looking for a good "adult therapy" style coloring book, and this is exactly what I was hoping for. Since I can't draw, I satisfy my creative yearning with coloring. The pictures have a enough detail to be absorbing, but not so much detail as to be tedious. The paper and granularity of the drawings are perfect for crayons, which I prefer over markers or pencil. My husband still teases me for playing with crayons, but at least my subjects are adult now.

Color Your Own VAN GOGH Paintings
"Color Your Own VAN GOGH Paintings" is a great way to introduce children to a famous painter.As an elementary art teacher (grades K-6), I'm always looking for creative ways to introduce famous painters andtechniques to students.This book will be a great asset to the Van Goghstudy I introduce to the kindergarten class.We currently read"Camille and the Sunflowers", a book about Van Gogh, and then doa Van Gogh-like sunflower painting.This book will give them another lookat Van Gogh's work... and THEY get to give his pictures life by coloringthem in!There are 30 meticulously rendered black-and-white drawings ofsome of his masterpieces.(Also included are the 30 accompanyingfull-color illustrations depicted on the covers!) ... Read more

Book Description
This important, groundbreaking publication contains the illustrated letters between two great modern artists–Vincent van Gogh and Émile Bernard. The original letters were previously in private hands and have not been seen for approximately seventy years. Here they are published in association with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and an exhibit at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York. In addition to the letters, the book also includes paintings, photographs, and drawings by both artists, as well as works by artists of the period, such as Paul Gauguin and Jean-François Millet.These letters, written between 1887 and 1889, are among the most important and relevant sources of insight into van Gogh’s life and art. They bridge the time when van Gogh was living and working in Paris, where he painted most of his self-portraits (mainly because he was unable to afford models), to the small town of Arles, in Provence. Here he adopted new types of compositions and developed new ideas about color–all of which he describes in detail in letters to his friend and fellow painter Bernard. Only a year later, in July 1890, van Gogh died, at the age of thirty-seven. The authors have carefully placed each letter in context of relevant events and have written authoritative commentaries on the content of the letters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Beautiful publication...
..in fact, in my entire library, one of the best. I read it before viewing the exhibition. The facsimiles of the letters are as good as seeing them in person. Art and letter lovers alike will cherish this book!

A new insight into Van Gogh's working method
The 22 letters written by Van Gogh to French painter Emile Bernard, in which he almost exclusively discusses the subject of painting with a fellow artist, are the subject of this beautiful volume which accompanies an exhibition of the letters at the Pierpont Morgan library in NYC. Each of the letters is reproduced through a high-quality facsimile and also translated into English. Many works Van Gogh alludes to in those letters are also reproduced and every letter is carefully annotated which helps the reader understand the many references the artist cites as sources of inspiration to his work.

This is a groundbreaking publication that gives the reader invaluable insights into Van Gogh thoughts and working methods and comes as a perfect complement to the already published correspondence of the artist with his brother and dealer Theo. The letters to Bernard are more spontaneous because there were written by an artist to another artist and the introduction of the book explains this very well.

Highly recommended.

A life examined in a new light
As a writer, I found this book very much of a revelation. Why? Simply put, Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890) was a prolific writer of letters. He wrote hundreds of brilliant letters to fellow artists, friends and his brother, Theo. Much of a persons character, thoughts, likes and dislikes, loves and hates, fears and loneliness can be found in letters. Both the darkness and the light of the soul come through in personal letters as they are often inner directed as much as directed to the receiver.

Many of these letters tell the story of life. They give us a glimpse of the ideas behind his art. They seem to prove that he was very much in his right mind and that he was not suffering from any sort of mental disability as some have thought.

The letters written to the French painter, Emile Bernard (1868-1941), who was twenty-years-old in 1888, are of great significance. In these, the artists share ideas when van Gogh was working in Arles in the South of France.

This is a very fine work. It's interesting reading and seems to bring the characters to life.

Highly recommended.

- Susanna K. Hutcheson

A VOLUME TO BE READ, REREAD, AND TREASURED
A friend of many Impressionists, Vincent van Gogh stands alone among artists, beloved, admired and respected by millions.While many of his paintings are familiar to us, this beautiful volume offers insights into his thinking, his cretaive process, and his life.The letters presented herein were written between December 1887 and November 1889 to his younger friend and colleague, Emile Bernard.These epistles are priceless as they focus to a great extent on artistic questions and, at the same time reveal a man blessed with a unique style and plagued by doubts.

Letters in this volume are numbered from 1 to 22.Facsimiles of all are presented.With these we are privy to the artist's apparent disregard for apostrophes and his cavalier use of capital letters.A joy and privilege to see the writing in his own script, complete with drawings and crossed out words.

Following the facsimiles one finds the letters printed in the original French along with transcriptions.Also included are generous full color reproductions of paintings by van Gogh and Bernard, many of which are discussed in the epistles as van Gogh both criticized and praised the younger artist.What comes through very clearly in the correspondence is the depth of friendship the two men shared.

Van Gogh's last letter was written mere months before he took his own life.
Vincent van Gogh Painted with Words is a volume to be read, reread, studied, and treasured.It contributes immeasurably to our understanding of this troubled genius.

Highly recommended.

- Gail Cooke

A Handshake in Thought
An excellent addition to the library of anyone with a serious interest in Vincent van Gogh, or for that matter Emile Bernard.

In 1996 I enjoyed reading the selected letters of van Gogh, a gifted writer, in a book edited by Ronald De Leeuw. This current effort has a more narrow focus but is greatly enhanced by the fine selection of accompanying artwork. The explanatory chapter notes are superb.

Its editors and the Morgan Library should win prizes for this scholarly work. ... Read more

Amazon.com
After more than 1,500 pages of Vincent van Gogh's letters, most of themaddressed to his younger brother, Theo, a reader is exhausted by the struggles,arguments, and ultimate suicide of the creator of some of the most covetedpaintings on earth, and yet elated by the triumph of art and family devotionover constant sorrow.

However depressing the life of Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), his struggle iscontinually redeemed by lucid, analytical observations on art and artists asdisparate as his black-sheep friend Gauguin, Manet, Degas, Japanese prints, andeven the American illustrator Howard Pyle. He retains a touching certainty thathis early hero, Millet, whose pictures of peasants so moved him, will prove tobe the precursor of all that is progressive in art.

This three-volume, boxed set is a replica of the one originally published in1958 by the New York Graphic Society, a translation from the Dutch of letterspainstakingly ordered and preserved by Theo's young widow, Jo, in the early partof the 20th century. It would have benefited from annotations reflecting recentvan Gogh scholarship and theory, but nonetheless it remains a remarkablecollection of documents, including Jo's well-known memoir and family history.The early drawings are shockingly clunky, without a hint of grace orconfidence. This awkwardness never disappears entirely, but evolves into anaura of hard-won authenticity, as if van Gogh were continually grappling withsome fundamental, but ineffable, truth.

The symptoms of madness, "an illness much like any other," alienated Vincentfrom everyone around him. Even his aging parents, he wrote, "feel the same dreadof taking me in ... as they would about taking in a big rough dog."

"How much sadness there is in life," he wrote to Theo. But he found theantidote: "The right thing is to work." Work he did, with astonishing single- mindedness. He mercilessly demanded supplies and continual financial aid fromhis brother, and although we think of their relationship as a perfect union,Vincent wrote with occasional anger, impatience, or even cruelty, once coldlyassessing Theo's personality: "The bright side of your character is yourreliability in money matters."

There is a tremendous dramatic tension in the third volume of letters, as we seethe artist leap ahead in skill and insight, knowing all the while that this is alife that does not go all the way. This collection requires, and rewards, adevoted reader. --Margaret MoormanBook Description
After more than 1,500 pages of Vincent van Gogh's letters, most of themaddressed to his younger brother, Theo, a reader is exhausted by the struggles,arguments, and ultimate suicide of the creator of some of the most covetedpaintings on earth, and yet elated by the triumph of art and family devotionover constant sorrow. However depressing the life of Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), his struggle iscontinually redeemed by lucid, analytical observations on art and artists asdisparate as his black-sheep friend Gauguin, Manet, Degas, Japanese prints, andeven the American illustrator Howard Pyle. He retains a touching certainty thathis early hero, Millet, whose pictures of peasants so moved him, will prove tobe the precursor of all that is progressive in art. This three-volume, boxed set is a replica of the one originally published in1958 by the New York Graphic Society, a translation from the Dutch of letterspainstakingly ordered and preserved by Theo's young widow, Jo, in the early partof the 20th century. It would have benefited from annotations reflecting recentvan Gogh scholarship and theory, but nonetheless it remains a remarkablecollection of documents, including Jo's well-known memoir and family history.The early drawings are shockingly clunky, without a hint of grace orconfidence. This awkwardness never disappears entirely, but evolves into anaura of hard-won authenticity, as if van Gogh were continually grappling withsome fundamental, but ineffable, truth.The symptoms of madness, "an illness much like any other," alienated Vincentfrom everyone around him. Even his aging parents, he wrote, "feel the same dreadof taking me in ... as they would about taking in a big rough dog." "How much sadness there is in life," he wrote to Theo. But he found theantidote: "The right thing is to work." Work he did, with astonishing single- mindedness. He mercilessly demanded supplies and continual financial aid fromhis brother, and although we think of their relationship as a perfect union,Vincent wrote with occasional anger, impatience, or even cruelty, once coldlyassessing Theo's personality: "The bright side of your character is yourreliability in money matters."There is a tremendous dramatic tension in the third volume of letters, as we seethe artist leap ahead in skill and insight, knowing all the while that this is alife that does not go all the way. This collection requires, and rewards, adevoted reader. --Margaret Moorman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Cheap Facsimile of 1st edition
The value of Van Gogh's letters is not disputed.More the pity that the publisher of THIS edition chose to put these three volumes together the same as a mass market paperback, pages just glued in.There are no longer any color illustrations.All the many drawings are reproduced in poor quality, worse than a Xerox machine.Buy a used 1st edition instead.

Infinitely fascinating, infinitely heartbreaking
I first read this set back in the late 1980s while in college, and I've long wanted to own a set for myself. With the recent discovery of a possible actual portrait photograph of him, I happily purchased a set to refresh my knowledge of van Gogh, who has long been my favorite artist. This collection is unique in the art world, starting when he was about 17 -- well before he started on his career as a painter -- and continues on until his death. It offers an infinitely fascinating peek into his motivations and his thought process.

It is also infinitely heartbreaking to read, since, as all personal letters, van Gogh never conceived of having such fame that all his personal thoughts to his beloved brother would be seen and read by people all over the world. Reading such things as Vincent asking Theo for some money so he can buy some new underwear, because his currentset is falling apart, makes me feel like an eavesdropper -- how hard it must have been for him to write it, and how embarassed he would feel to know others can read it so easily. Such inimate things happen over and over again in this collection.

If you are fascinated by the creative process, by van Gogh, or are a student of art history, this collection is for you. It is a testament to Theo's belief in his brother that he saved all these letters, and that he helped fund his brother's passion for painting for ten years. This collection is beautiful, and well worth the price.

Complete Letters of Vincent Van Gogh
These are "THE" books to read by anyone who truly wants to know Vincent. He writes about his life and the people in it in great detail, and writes about his thoughts and desires on almost every imaginable subject. These books are a treasure to own.

The torments of creation
Other Amazon reviewers have related to the three volume complete letters, with introduction and memoir. I will relate only to the letters of Van Gogh themselves , and that portion of them which I have read. They are surely one of the great documents for anyone interested in the connection between literary and artistic creation. They certainly too are a moving and frightening document of the inner life of a tremendously tormented soul and great artist. There is aside from this focus on Vincent the feeling given in the correspondance of what a considerate, helpful, wonderful brother he had . Just to listen to the rantings of a madman genius which often tend to repeat themselves and which however brilliant must often upset and throw one off one's equilibrium, is a great act of kindness. The friendship of the brothers is a great theme of this work. As for Van Gogh how tormented his soul how rich his creation.Those wavy lines those deeply clear eyes seem to express a kind of horror and fear no other artist can match.

Vincent Van Gogh correspondence
This beautiful setofVan Gogh's letters starts with an introduction byhis nephew (Theo's son) and a biography of Vincent Van Gogh by his sister-in-law , Theo's widow.It is a special set of books.The boxed set is very beautiful and I have it on display in my living room.I was fortunate enough to have seen the Van Gogh exhibit in Amsterdam ...,(and to have seen the Van Gogh exhibit when it came to the U.S. over 30 years ago....).I feel the artist's extraordinary family did so much tobring his art and writing to us, including this lovely book set.I thought the ... price was most reasonable considering what I got, and it made my trip to Holland even more special! ... Read more

Amazon.com
Few images in modern art have so captured the attention of the public as Van Gogh's Starry Night, a painting that reveals all the light and glory hidden in an ordinary evening sky. In this very readable study of Van Gogh, essentially a spiritual biography, Kathleen Erickson explores the intense spirituality of the painter, from his early religious training and evangelical missionary work to the crisis that occurred when the church rejected his more radical way of following Christ. Erickson argues (against many Van Gogh scholars) that the artist's mature work reflects not a rejection of Christ so much as a rejection of a dogmatic church, seeing instead in the famous images of his art a profound connection to Christian symbols. Throughout, she helps us to discover the source of the power in Van Gogh's stars and sunflowers. --Doug Thorpe ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

At Eternity's Gate
I have always viewed Van Gogh's art with a feeling of sadness thinking he was a man driven insane and living a meager existence without much choice. I now enjoy his paintings so much morehaving read a new perspective abouthis life. I see his work as full of life and hope and believe he lived alife according to his convictions. He was a man who took his stand againsta tide he didn't agree with. I am refreshed.

a rich understanding of suffering, faith, and creativity
Erickson does van Gogh a considerable service by returning to the voluminous letters he wrote, in order to help the reader see the roots and meaning of his devotion.She views van Gogh as essentially a mysticinspired by the Gospels and by the writings of John Bunyan and Thomas aKempis.Their words and images were internalized and remained with theartist in spite of his break with organized Christianity. . . . Ericksonprovides yet another corrective by carefully reconstructing the etiology ofvan Gogh's mental disturbances that resulted in an extended hospitalizationafter the celebrated event in which he severed a part of his own ear andpresented it to a local prostitute.By returning to van Gogh's letters andutilizing a finely tuned clinical understanding, Erickson plausiblyconcludes that the artist suffered from epileptiform illness with attendantdepression.She thus provides an alternative view to the varied andsometimes poorly researched conclusions that have led previous scholars andclinicians to arrive at a wide variety of diagnostic hypotheses. . . .Erickson offers a portrait ofvan Gogh as a visionary struggling to findthe means to express his felt spiritual experience.In so doing, sheprovides us with an enlarged and richly nuanced understanding of theinterdependence of suffering, faith, and the act of creation.

We can now see van Gogh's art as he intended
The conventional view of Vincent van Gogh isthat he was a great painter who lost his faith and, finally, lost hissanity as well.. . . But now, thanks to Kathleen Powers Erickson, suchinterpretations are no longer tenable.Erickson has performed aninvaluable service to the disciplines of art history and spiritualVincent van Gogh corrects numerous misconceptions about this complex manand clarifies the nature of his artistic calling. . . . By illuminatingvan Gogh's life, Erickson has allowed it, in turn, to illuminate hiscanvases.Paintings which were formerly "works of art" now seemmore like icons; Erickson has enabled us to see beyond their painterlysurfaces and glimpse the spiritual forces that inspired them.Thepaintings become, in a sense, windows that are transparent to the divinereality behind them.More than just a series of magnificent paintings, theworks of Vincent van Gogh, after Erickson, now appear as the artist hadintended - a visual record of the human soul trying to understand itsCreator, while struggling with its afflictions along the earthly road oftrials, and making its way, at last, through eternity's gate and into theCelestial City.It is a magnificent trip, and Erickson is a worthy guidealong its path

Magnificent
This book was magnificent!I thought the first chapter was hard to go through but after that, Erickson repayed her debt.I've never read such an outstanding book.The reason why I liked this book is because I liked howshe talked about every detail.This book should get an award!

Great book!!!!!
It is very hard to do biographies at all. Many other authors who write about Vincent Van Gogh are usually vauge, and you can't follow through. This book is the exact opposite. ... Read more

Book Description
Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) believed that drawing was “the root of everything.” A self-taught artist, he succeeded, between 1881 and 1890, in developing an inimitable graphic style. This book traces the artist’s successive triumphs as a draftsman, first in the Netherlands and later in France, highlighting the diversity of his technical invention and the striking continuity of his vision. Given the pivotal role drawings played in Van Gogh’s artistic conception and the rich dialectic they enjoyed with his oil paintings, a small selection of related canvases by the artist is also featured.

This beautiful book presents approximately 120 works in charcoal, ink, graphite, watercolor, and diluted oils. The authors explore enduring questions that surround Van Gogh’s drawings, including their manufacture, artistic precedents, and contribution to Modernism. In addition, the text discusses the significance of the artist’s drawing practice to his development as a painter. The essays and entries feature the most current research on Van Gogh’s drawings and provide fresh interpretations of the motivating influences that shaped the artist’s contributions to the history of drawing.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

master draftsman
a wonderful memory of a once in a lifetime exhibit. 7 years of drawing before he ever picked up a brush....

A rare opportunity
This is the catalogue for a 2005 exhibit at the Met. A valuable addition to the literature on Van Gogh, it encompasses his whole career as a draughtsman, and a brilliant one of course. The images are perfect (you sometimes get the impression that you are holding the actual drawing) and the text very helpful, giving sizes, provenances and many excerpts of Van Gogh's own letters.I remember visiting the exhibition in crammed rooms on a saturday afternoon, therefore I was glad to be able to savour it once again in a quieter atmosphere, thanks to the book.

Drawing at the highestlevel
Lord Kenneth Clark, at the end of his book and television series, Civilization, said he had come to believe that there was such a thing as "genius".After looking through this book, so will you.

With over 350 drawings, mostly reproduced in color, and dozens more color reproductions of paintings, this will no doubt be the definitive work of the artist's drawings.We see many of his early drawings, including those enhanced with chalk, watercolor, etc.We see the drawings and watercolors done in preparation for his paintings and then we see the paintings themselves.

But the high points of the book are the three drawings in pen and ink done after each of the paintings and intended as reproductions of those works.He wanted a means to share these paintings with three different correspondents: John Russell, Emile Bernard and his brother Theo.He obviously couldn't afford the oil and canvas to reproduce each painting three more times.These laborious drawings were executed and mailed to individuals with whom Van Gogh wanted to share his work (and perhaps impress), or, in the case of his brother, to also show his love and appreciation. Slight variations among the three drawings after the same painting show further, "post-oil" development of each subject and give us additional insight into his style and his thinking.The color reproductions of his drawings allow us to see how the ink on each has faded over time and a 100-year old reproduction of a drawing shows us how the original has faded over time.Because virtually all of the drawings done as a mature artist were on 9-1/2 by 11-1/2 sheets, the reproductions in the book are almost actual size.

Fortunately, both Bernard and Theo's widow and heirs believed very strongly in his work, including his drawings, and ignored the advice of critics to throw it all away.They continued to promote the artist's work after his death, eventually leading to his broader recognition over the following decades. If you appreciate great drawing, this is a "must have" book.

Very interesting
The book is much more technical than the "Letter" book I recently read.I enjoy that because I have always wanted to know how he painted or drew his pictures as well as how is life and painting developed.

A CLASSIC MUST HAVE
Full of drawings and descriptions of them, it is a great help regarding the importance of drawing and the use of different materials. It is the best collection of drawings from Van Gogh that I have ever been able to lay my hands on. Full of information collected from different museums
A must for those who enjoy a good drawing or are taking drawing seriously.
... Read more

Book Description
Explore Vincent van Gogh's life and art, and the influences that shaped his work.

Discover the tragic genius of Vincent van Gogh with this beautiful and highly informative guide, which tells the fascinating story of his life and work. Superb specially commissioned photographs show the methods and materials van Gogh used to create his masterpieces, while art expert Bruce Bernard offers a rare "eyewitness" view into the painter's distinctive canvases, and the complex character behind them. See van Gogh's striking use of color and texture, the originality and expressiveness of his techniques, the masters that inspired him, and the work he produced during his madness. Learn of young Vincent's painful unrequited love, how poverty and illness added to his despair, how we won Monet's praise and influenced Toulouse-Lautrec, and about van Gogh's interest in Japan. Discover the astonishing speed at which van Gogh painted, the crisis that caused him to cut off part of his ear, his friendships with other artists, including Paul Gauguin, and much, much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Pleasing to the eye
This is an easy to read, summary of his life, with nice pictures and information.

WELL WRITTEN & ILLUSTRATED PLUS SUCCINCT INFO! FOR AGE 9-99!
First of all I must say anything DK Publishing touches turns to gold; and the same goes double to infinity for Vincent. You would not believe the information packed into this 64 page carry anywhere book full of photographs of family and places he lived, amazing sketches, personal belongings, influences, quotes, and over 70 of his most popular and beautiful paintings and so much more! This is for everyone! It does not include "Starry Night" however.

Here are the contents: 1YOUTH AND FAMILY2LIFE IN ENGLAND3PREACHING AND POVERTY 4THE IMAGE OF THE SOWER 5ETTEN AND THE HAGUE 6PEASANTS AT WORK 7A LOVE OF NATURE 8A MATTER OF FAITH 9A PEASANT MEAL 10ARRIVAL IN ANTWERP 11THE ANTWERP ACADEMY 12A PARISIAN EXPERIENCE 13IMAGES OF PARIS 14THE IMPRESSIONISTS 15NEW APPROACHES 16JAPANESE INFLUENCES 17SUNFLOWERS 18A STUDY IN YELLOW 19THE LURE OF THE SOUTH 20VAN GOGH AND GAUGUIN 21A HEROIC SELF PORTRAIT 22THE AFFLICTED ARTIST 23NATURAL STUDIES 24COPIES 25PROVENCAL LANDSCAPE 26AN ERRATIC RECOVERY 27A RETURN TO THE NORTH 28THE FINAL ACT 29KEY DATES/ VAN GOGH COLLECTIONS 30GLOSSARY/ WORKS ON EXHIBIT 31INDEX/ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

What makes this book so enjoyable is that it has it all. Most books I've seen on Vincent are either loaded with art but the book layout is impossible to read due to lack of organization; or the opposite--books with tons of information but nothing but black and white thumbnail sketches. This book is a gem; extremely colorful plus has some black and white-- but each and every page is fully organized and beautiful to read and look at. Bruce Bernard, you have got to be the most organized man in the universe! WOW!

A must own for anyone and everyone! Especially the beginner to intermediate van Gogh enthusiast, however; the personal belongings, photographs, quotes and succinctness of this book would be well appreciated by the most acumen of Vincent's studiers/admirers.

P.S. I highly recommend this book and any other of the series of Eyewitness books that strike your fancy. I also own book #25 Crystal and Gems. There are 110 different books from everything to Music, Fossils, Reptiles, Invention, Weather, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Bible Lands, Volcano and Earthquake, Shark; Aztec, Inca and Maya; Castle, Pyramid, Ancient China, Archeology, North American Indian, Ocean, Battle, Witches and Magic-Makers, Space Exploration, Crime Detection, Force and Motion, Chemistry, Time and Space, Astronomy, Earth, Human Body, Medicine, Technology, Electronics, Renaissance, Impressionism, Goya, Manet, Monet, Leonardo & his times, Future, Mythology, Titanic, Football, Hurricane & Tornado, Presidents, Baseball....on and on! Oh I've got to buy a few more I see!

Good things come in small packages
For a smaller book designed to give a high level overview of Van Gogh's life and career as an artist, this book is surprisingly informative and well written. Van Gogh's life is covered in a well researched commentaryand there are also sub-sections devoted specifically to"Masterpieces".The graphics are excellent and the analysisclear and concise. In terms of a good, brief overview of Vincent van Gogh,this book is first rate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Gasp!
Van Gogh's letters from this, his most creative period, are not possibly a one read collection. Nor, do they necessarily demand an appreciation for his work. Historians of psychiatry and students of creativity and manic depression should not allow this primary source information to be overlooked.
Van Gogh's incestuous relationship with his brother, Theo, was covered dramatically in the film 'Vincent and Theo.' These letters are less pathological but certainly prove the interdependency, which no doubt increased unbearably upon Vincent's death. (Theo was dead a year later and had been chained to the wall in an assylum.)
But this is equally a series of untoward rapture for the natural world and the ordinary people he encountered there. We are introduced, in story and paintings, to some of the most memorable subjects of Van Gogh's accumulated works, Gaughan, Dr. Gauchet, The Chief Orderly in his assylum, The Postal Worker. There are also self-portraits and their impossibly anguished stories.
This is a 5-star work. There is no comparable work for insight into the man and the paintings. It also explains that inescapable discomfort and exaltation felt by studying his work.
Short and concise, it covers more than a biography and includes all the Provence masterpieces. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Nice insight
It is not as easy a read as Stone's van Gog biography Lust For Life, but for fans, it's a deep book.

Vincent tells of how he went into the fields to paint, and then a rain storm came. He sought meager shelter behind a big tree while it lasted, and then resumed. And because he had started with a low vantage point, he now had to stand on his knees in the mud! He seems to merely mention this to point out why he considers common workman's clothes to be the artist's best friend...

He also tells how he went out to paint the sea, in a storm so strong he could barely stay on his feet. One painting got so full of sand from the beach that he went to a nearby inn and retouched it... and then went back out into the storm to finish it with fresh impressions!

Today, most of us: "Go out with the camera today? Nah, it's a bit nippy, and I just got the Sopranos on DVD..."

Irving Stone edited Dear Theo, and while he may have done a good job generally, I think it was a disservice to the material to not indicate where he cut it. It is just one long text, no dates and no indication where each quote starts or ends.

Let the reader beware- this is more novel than letters
I, like the many reviewers of this book, was enthralled and inspired by this collection of letters when I first read it 25 years ago.I have recommended it to many friends.At the time I would have given it five stars or even more if they were available.Irving Stone writes in his preface "My aim has been to edit the 1670 pages of material down to a swiftly flowing, continuous normal-sized book..."He succeeded but even 25 years ago I was a little disturbed by the complete absence of indications where exactly Mr. Stone had done his cutting, or his editing.Today, in the age of internet we can now do some easy checking.The unabridged letters are on the net and reveal that basically what this Dear Theo is, is another novel written by Irving Stone.There is almost no resemblance to the original letters.The novelist has used his talents and the raw material to create a beautiful saga.Worth reading, but let the reader beware.

A fire starter
These letters speak the truth of van Gogh.This book opens a window of knowledge on a man so misunderstood to the world.At 14, I absolutely am in love with this book."Dear Theo" has ignited a fire in my soul, a burning desire to study art and the men behind the works.

Interesting and revealing
Vincent Van Gogh was a great painter, but not a writer. So these letters are of interest in terms of history and painting. The life of Van Gogh is better exposed here than it would have been in a "real" autobiography, because Theo, his younger brother, was the only real friend Vincent ever had. He was his supporter, admirer and listener, and in fact Vincent had an emotional dependence on his brother. People interested in the process of artistic creation and creativity will find this book of enormous value and interest, since Van Gogh speaks a lot about that process in himself, one of the greatest painters of all time.But it is true, as one reviewer said, that these letters include, each and every one, eternal whining and begging from Vincent to his brother. He was, of course, always out of money and, as a genius really disconnected from the common world, unable to make a living by conventional activities. So he depended almost entirely on Theo. I would like to insist in that, although by no means a literary accomplishment, these letters are worth reading, since they expose naked the soul of a great artist and an extremely sensitive man, certainly a tortured and twisted soul.

here's your unadulterated chance to see just how screwed...
here's your unadulterated chance to see just how screwed up van gogh was.letter after letter after letter sitting on the pity pot writing to his younger brother whining for money, crying for assistance, guilting his brother into supporting his art...his art habit...his art addiction.ya know, after reading this book my perspective on van gogh changed.he struck me as an ultra-martyr (in the icky sense of the word), so big into self-pity.now, having since read a little more of his history - screwy parents, etc. -i have some more compassion for the guy and for why he was so screwed up, but these letters are honestly nothing short of tedious.one after the other, whining for money, then waxing eloquent about his art, which actually struck me often as quite manipulative - like he was justifying his existence and his productivity to theo.

anyway, i still think van gogh is a wonderful artist, but what a messed up life - can't miss that from these letters.but god, i wish they'd been even more edited.and one other thing - irving stone (the editor) thinks van gogh is one of the world's greatest writers and philosophers of all times, in addition to being the honcho primo artist.well, as for philosopher, sorry irving, no.the guy was miserable and depressed and lonely, and seemed to philosophize in his letters to just keep contact with the world, but his philosophy gets under my skin. ... Read more

Amazon.com
This pocket-sized book packs a lot of information, visual and textural, about one of the best-loved artists of the 20th century. One of the Essentials series, which also includes Jackson Pollock, Salvador Dali, and Edward Hopper, it comes off as a kind of art-world Cliff Notes, but beautifully and colorfully designed. The book purports to tell you everything you need to know to sound smart about Van Gogh. To that end, the text is pre-underlined (the key words and information are italicized, sometimes eccentrically, as in "Vincent was no virgin"); there are lists of bulleted phrases containing highlights of different aspects of Vincent's short career; and "sound bytes"--pithy quotations--are highlighted by blue strips.

There is a reason why Vincent Van Gogh's passionate story has been the subject of best-selling potboilers and Hollywood sagas. He sold only one picture during his wretched lifetime, he committed suicide at age 37, he was fervently religious and callously rude, and he cut off part of his ear. And the 20th-century auction prices for paintings like Irises (more than $50 million in 1987) have made front-page news around the world. This little book relates Vincent's life, his anchoring relationship with his younger brother Theo (to whom he wrote 800 lucid and eloquent letters on art), and his painting. Unfortunately, author Ingrid Schaffner's distorted, flip style ("Theo is not too thrilled," that Vincent "hangs out in divey bars," "Today Van Gogh would be seriously on Prozac") might be offensive to readers of even moderate empathy or serious interest. But for an instant course in Van Gogh, this book is probably your best bet. --Peggy Moorman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Walking With Vincent and Theo
I must say, I found this book totally by accident at the Strand in NYC and it was so big, I had to have it shipped home.I am so grateful to the gods who led me to this masterpiece of a book.I had read other biographies on Vincent van Gogh, but Jan Hulsker is where every person interested in Vincent's art, life and his brother should begin.I felt like I was walking with Vincent and Theo through every day of their lives, understanding all the joys and pain, the disappointments and elation.Dr. Hulsker is THE authority on all things van Gogh and for every question you've ever had or happening you've wondered about, he has the answer... here in this thorough and easy-to-read book.He corrects us on every myth and misconception and breaks us of old habits we've all probably developed when thinking of van Gogh.Most important of all: Dr. Hulsker understood that Vincent and Theo were one person - without Theo there was no Vincent and without Vincent there was no Theo.I'd recommend following this book with the letters of Theo and Jo van Gogh-Bonger.

The Best
This is probably the best biography of both Theo and Vincent Van Gogh ever written! It is very informative and has been extremely useful in my report on Van Gogh: The Artist. I'd recommend it to anyone needing extensiveinformation on Vincent Van Gogh ... Read more

Book Description
The complete van Gogh Vincent van Gogh's story is one of the most ironic in art history. He lived an unhappy and difficult life during which his work received almost no appreciation—finally killing himself by a bullet to the chest, so great was his despair—and is now widely considered one of the most important painters of all time, his works fetching record prices of tens of millions of dollars at auction. This comprehensive study of Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) represents a rarity in art history: a detailed monograph on his life and art combined with a complete catalogue of his 871 paintings. This volume also reproduces most of van Gogh's paintings in color for the first time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Superbly illustrated
This single volume edition ISBN 3822812153 published in 2001 containing 740 pages was originally issued in two separate volumes. It contains all of the about 870 paintings comprising the artist's complete output, reproduced in full colour with just a few exceptions where for any of several legitimate reasons a colour picture is not available.

It is an admirable effort, the quality of printing is superb, and the standard of photography in many instances is excellent showing the texture of the paint and brush work. In the case of the latter the paintings truly sing out from the page. The pictures are presented chronologically, which in itself is very revealing. The text is extensive and very informative, and being largely based on Van Gogh's letters makes truly fascinating reading and lends an intimate edge. It provides a background to the artist's life and his work and influences.

I should mention a couple of points. Many of the reproductions are quite small, less than post card size, some considerably less; there are of course some half page and full page size too. The other point is that while the text and illustrations are fully integrated there is little if any relationship between the text and image on each page. When there is a reference in the text to a picture the picture is invariably to be found many pages apart. Of course with the pictures presented chronologically this was bound to be a problem; but would it then not have been better to separate the two completely. One could also argue for a larger page size, but a least at this fairly modest size the book is at least not unwieldy.

That aside this is a splendid book; and one of the best surprises is that while there are of course many very familiar paintings here, the less familiar are by no means overshadowed by them; it is in fact a revelation to find so many superb yet relatively unknown works. Tremendous value, a book not to be passed over.

Van Gogh - a major study
To those of us who have seen only some of van Gogh's paintings in international galleries this book, bringing together every painting that he did, and many drawings, is a constant source of pleasure and interest tempered only by regret that the artist received so little recognition in his lifetime and by his tragic end. The quality of the reproductions is high and the text gives a sensitive and scholarly review of his life, his work and his motives and makes considerable reference to his letters. It endswith a useful illustrated chronology of van Gogh's life. Because there are more paintings than text one is forced to turn pages, sometimes many, to finda painting referred to in the text but this is inevitable unless one is to have merely a catalogue, with comments, of his works. Walther and Metzger are to be congratulated on this fine work.

A Must Have for all Van Gogh Fans out there!
First off, I must point out that I did not read the English version of this, but the French one; since it's a translation, it should basically be the same.

Taschen has the nice habit of making great books for comparatively very cheap prices; and that is once again the case with this collection of all Van Gogh paintings. The paper is top quality (glazed is it? I forget how it's called, but it's the same as you find in every other taschen publication) and the size of the book ensures a good view on the paintings.

I had read 2 books relating Vincent's life, so when it came to read another text on him and his work, I already knew most of of the bulk of that artist's life; however, this wasn't redundant at all. The authors have interesting things to say and usually do so in ways that won't kill you with boredom (even if I sometimes don't agree with the theories proposed). Substantial citations from Van Gogh's letters are used there, which is good, since Vincent wrote a lot. The book does a good work of setting Vincent Van Gogh in context, letting us know what authors he read, and what kind of human being he was. And Vincent was a particularly wonderful human being in my opinion, something this book does not fail to show.

Now as to the pictures of the paintings, what can I say? If you like Van Gogh's art, you'll like them. And even though you may not like everything he's ever done, it's worthwhile to have the whole thing to see the evolution of his art from a very dark and gloomy universe to a violently colourful one.

I definitely recommend this book for everyone interested in knowing more about Van Gogh than the basics. The book is a beautiful object as well, pretty heavy, but very classy.

Of course it isn't as beautiful as in person, but what a great body of work in one place!
This is a very nice publication to have on your shelf.Van Gogh is an icon of Western culture and it is almost certain that you can call more than a few of his images to mind quite easily.What this provides is a greater context for those several images by providing what it calls "the complete paintings".I have no ability to say whether it is complete or not, but I can say that the vast number of paintings reproduced here provide a wonderful context and the images become more connected and make quite a bit more sense than they do in isolation.

Are the color reproductions perfect?Of course not!Mechanical coloring cannot approach the vivid colors these paintings have in real life.I am always pleasantly surprised when I get to an art museum and see real colors up close and personal.Things are so wonderfully vivid!The texture of the surfaces is also fabulous to see in person.

But a book can never be as brilliant as seeing the painting in person.However, for a few dollars you can survey a body of work you will never be able to see in a lifetime.So, it is a fair trade off.Just make sure you get to a good museum as frequently as you can to enrich you senses and your soul.

The text accompanying the paintings is really very good.The problem is that is provided next to a painting by Van Gogh and one's eyes can barely stay on the text.I find myself drifting to every nearby painting and focusing on that more than what the editors are telling me about Van Gogh's life and work.

Very much recommended. The binding, Paper or Hardcover is irrelevant for home use.Pick whichever you prefer and can afford.For heavy use, obviously the hardcover is the better choice.

A few comments on van Gogh's space
I used this book to research the fascinating problem of the perceptual and spatial distortions in van Gogh's paintings, for which it was very helpful, so later I make a few comments on that for what its worth.

I've seen dozens of books on van Gogh's art, and this one is one of the few on the market that contains his complete output. Although the book contains some commentary, for me the most important thing was the reproduction of the paintings. Of course, book plates can't do full justice to the original paintings, but for color plates these are pretty decent. Van Gogh often just squeezed the paint directly onto the canvass from the tubes without mixing them, so one way you can tell if a color plate of a van Gogh painting is good is to look at one that you know of where he did this and see if the colors look right, and if they're close to full saturation. If they look washed out or off in some way, you'll know they're not. But overall, I thought these were pretty good.

As I said, I used this for some research, so I include those comments here for anyone who might be interested in some of the more technical aspects of van Gogh's paintings. However, you don't have to read them since they are pretty dry and technical :-).

As Ernst Gombrich has show