Book Description

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Van Gogh Calendar
Van Gogh is the favorite of my eldest daughter.I buy her a calendar every Christmas.This one was a very nice choice because it had a lot of art in it that was not in previous calendars.She loved it. ... Read more

Book Description
The personality of Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)-a 19th-century combination of dropout, rebel, and genius-and the source of his enormous achievement continue to fascinate people as deeply as his vivid, wildly painted canvasses of sunflowers, peasants, and starry nights. In this first and only in-depth study of the relationship between van Gogh's psychological development and his art, Albert J. Lubin, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry (Emeritus) at Stanford University and a practicing psychoanalyst, draws on the tremendous wealth of information available about van Gogh, to explore his personal conflicts in the context of the forces that molded him: familial, historical, cultural, religious, artistic, and literary. Dr. Lubin approaches van Gogh not as a mysterious mix of sick eccentric and martyred artist, but as a complete man who transformed his suffering into a phenomenal body of work. Lubin's daring psychological insights and art criticism allow us to better understand, and more fully appreciate, van Gogh's artistic triumph over his inner torment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Gigglefest of Freudian Fallacies
Pure, unintentional, Freudian-style hilarity! This book is what happens when modern psychology ignores modern neuropathy. I was laughing until tears streamed down my face when I read the passage that states that Vincent's early work, (i.e. the Potato Eaters) was his superego rebelling against his mother's "Dutch cleanliness" and her refusal to allow the infant Vincent to smear feces on the walls of his nursery which then affected his pallete choice as an adult.Brown, yep. OK, I'm about to start laughing again . . . (whew!)

Vincent van Gogh was extraordinarily adept at introspection, and through reading his body of correspondence a student of psychology may glean an idea of van Gogh's state of agitation and alienation, and I recommend that a van Gogh scholar, or anyone with a genuine desire to better understand and empathize with van Gogh, read his correspondence instead of this book.

This book fails to lend any original - or even modern - insights, it is entirely too subjective, mired in neo-Freudian and occasionally, Jungian, conjecture, it lacks Gestalt, and works to distort and narrow the reader's perception of Vincent's gift as it related to his sustained neuropsychiatric state.

But, if you want to laugh (and laugh and laugh and laugh) at one scholar's attempt at deconstructing art and epileptiform neurological affect via Freud's ridiculous personality-based suppositions, read this book.

Once past the first chapter, really great book!
I really liked the perspective of looking at Van Gogh from a psychological view point. However, the first chapter is very dense with names of paintings and their deeper meaning. The author does much better in the subsequent chapters trying to discover Vincent the man.
A must read for anyone trying to understand Van Gogh!

The Only Van Gogh Biography I Can Recommend
Many biographies and abbreviated collections of Vincent's volumnous and passionate letters to his brother Theo have been published in recent years. The only one that I can recommend though is "Stranger on the Earth : A Psychological Biography of Vincent Van Gogh" by Albert J. Lubin, which provides a fascinating insight into Vincent's life and work. The author examines Vincent's fragile personality with a sensible balance of clinical observation and human compassion. The title "stranger on earth" is an apt description of how Vincent apparently felt about his life. I read this book cover to cover in a few days (a page-turner) and came away with an appreciative sense of Van Gogh as a complex personality driven alternately by great passion and great depression. A tragic yet very human story.

Outstanding!
Unlike most any biography out there, this book yeilds new insights to the man and his art.

Elegant, honorable, beautiful
The elegance with which he, Stone, makes manifest the life of this magnificent artist is breathtaking at times.This is not just the work to which all biographical material on Van Gogh is measured, but one of thebiographical novels by which all other biographies and biographical novelsshould be.It is imposiible to not get sucked into the narrative and feelwhat it was like to be in the company of men who are poised, with theirgifts, to change the way we look at the world and ourselves.Nor is itpossible to not come away sympathisizing, or even feeling a kinship withthe deeply troubled genius whose art bares witness to the human soul. I suggest you read this book if you are interested in anything regardingcreativity. Period. ... Read more

Amazon.com
This lavish but manageable book is the catalog for one of the most successful van Gogh exhibitions ever (at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., through January 3, 1999, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art from January 17, 1999, to April 4, 1999). Judging from the haunting, beautifully reproduced paintings and drawings in the book--which range from the iconic to the rarely seen--it is easy to see why hordes of people keep pressing through overcrowded galleries to get a glimpse of the originals. The ones here are all from the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, where most of Vincent's work resides.

Author Richard Kendall does a heroic job of writing van Gogh's tortured story one more time. Few artists have analyzed their own work with the clarity and insight Vincent brought to his. And Kendall relies heavily on Vincent's letters to his brother Theo, giving the reader broad access to the ultimate expert, the painter himself. The wealth of color plates is intoxicating--70 paintings, including The Potato Eaters and other early, gloomy works, a dozen self-portraits, Almond Blossom, Wheatfield with Crows, Butterflies and Poppies, The Bedroom, The Zouave, and The Courtesan (van Gogh's take on a Japanese geisha in full regalia).

It seems trivial to further praise the book's designers for holding it to only 150 pages, but the length makes an important difference. This is a volume that fits comfortably on the lap, to be perused and enjoyed at close range, for hours if you want, and not just displayed in unwieldy glory on a coffee table. --Peggy Moorman Book Description
The brilliantly colored paintings of Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) are loved around the world. This stunning volume accompanies the largest exhibition of the artist's works outside the Netherlands in more than 25 years. The show opens at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in October 1998 and at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in January 1999.

This unique group of paintings is from the extraordinary collection of the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, home to the single greatest assemblage of the artist's paintings, drawings, and letters. The collection is based on works acquired directly from the artist by his brother Theo, an art dealer and the source of Vincent's financial and emotional support. Among the museum's treasures reproduced here are some of the best-known images in art: Potato Eaters, The Bedroom, Self-Portrait as an Artist, Harvest, and Wheatfield with Crows.

Richard Kendall's essay addresses Van Gogh's major themes and the different phases of his career. John Leighton contributes a history of the Van Gogh Museum and a biography of the artist.

Richard Kendall is an independent scholar.

John Leighton is director of the Van Gogh Museum ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

the most original artist of his time
Vincent van Gogh is the artist who I feel I relate to most on a personal level. His demons are my demons. His yearning to some day find "the right girl" is my yearning. His spiritual faith in God is my spiritual faith. His weaknesses are my weaknesses. His strengths are my strengths. I'm very fond of van Gogh. He made many mistakes, including getting involved in a doomed love affair with a prostitute, or how he cut off his earlobe in a fit of anguish. Well, okay, I identify with him but that's something I've never been tempted to do haha. Vincent was a troubled and tormented and deeply under-appreciated artist in his day, only managing to sell one or two paintings in his life. Now he is among the very most popular. His works sell for many millions, even minor works.

David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"

A GREAT JOURNEY WITH VAN GOGH
One of the best pieces that I ever read explaining paintings along the different periods which were passed by Van Gogh. Also, it gives a complete ride through his life and personality.

A Quality Work!!
I have this book and I am so glad ,I discovered it. I am, a painter,andhave always been influenced by Van Goghs work. However most of the books Iown do not have very good quality , printing .This book however isexcellent! It is very close to , standing in front of the originalpainting. I would recomend this book to anyone that loves Van Gogh. I am soproud to make this book a part of my art library. Get it while you can!!

Didn't see the exhibit?Read the book!
The next best thing if you weren't able to make it to this record-breaking exhibition in Washington and Los Angeles. This book, an overview of the exhibition, is an extremely thorough and interesting overview of the 70works on display. But it's more than that. I was very impressed withRichard Kendall's commentary in the book. Not only is this a comprehensiveand thoughtful look at the "Van Gogh's Van Goghs" exhibition,it's also an excellent look at Van Gogh's life and career--period. I mighthave expected this--this major exhibition was superb and this catalogue isa worthy companion. Exhibition or not, this book is first-rate.

brillant
Interest in Van Gogh heightened with Hollywood movie withKirk Douglas an Hollywood actor. My mother has a wood painting of sunflowers (l6) and she asked that we research this for her,it has numerous local newspaperclippings taped to the back, which raises even more questions.It issigned Vincent? I saw a one man narrative of Van Gogh's life depicted byhis brother Theo, Actor: Jim Jarrett calledVincent. It was muchinformative of the letters Vincent wrote to Theo. .This enlightened oneas to Vincent's odd behavior. Vincent the man. Mr.Kendall,if possibleplease cooresponde back. My sister is also in contact with you. Thankyou for reading this message and any redirect would be appreciated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

True Value With Hundreds of Van Gogh Plates
Don't miss this one. Cover price is $75 and worth every penny. Now available on the Amazon Marketplace for just a few dollars. All of Van Gogh's best work with hundreds of full-color plates.

Best One-Volume Source on van Gogh
This is a very useful book. If you are interested only in the reproductions (good drawings as well as paintings), you will enjoy their high quality--and the breadth of Vincent's work that they cover. If you are interested in primary resources about van Gogh's life--newspaper articles; letters and reminiscences from friends, fellow artists, relatives--this volume is a real treasure. Between the excellent reproductions and the extraordinarily fine collection of biographical materials, this must be the best one-volume source on van Gogh. A great shame that it is out of print. Get one NOW!

For Van Gogh lovers.
This book is a georgeous table top or reference work , with comprehensive plate coverage and great colour resolution. What a shame it's out of print all ready! ... Read more

Book Description
This new edition asks probing questions.What is special about Vincent van Gogh's paintings?How did his brother Theo help him?Where was he born?Read 'The Life and Work of: Vincent van Gogh' to answer these questions and more.Each book in 'The Life and Work of...' series tells the story of a famous artist.You'll learn about their lives.You'll see how the things that happened to them and the people who they met changed the way they made their art. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Art Repros Worth Hanging
The Taschen Posterbooks are of excellent quality.The six Van Gogh's given us here, for a very low price, are a nicely representative group. Primarily the most impressive factor is the accuracy with which the colorsare reproduced. Having seen many in person, I am very critical of printswith poor to pathetic truth in color.We like them to the point of hangingall 6 in our home.The images are of the cafe at Arles-night, lane withcypresses, one of thesunflowers, one self-portrait, the bridge atLanglois and of course, the bedroom at Arles.

Regardless the amount ofmoney you have to spend, definitely buy this little jewel as an adjunct. Or if you are tightly budgeted, what a buy! ... Read more

Product Description
Vincent van Gogh was a tormented man. From a young age, he was troubled by fits of depression. After a string of unfulfilling jobs and failed relationships, he found that painting would relieve him of his suffering. Even so, he cut off part of his left ear in a fit of rage. While in the hospital, doctors tried to diagnose his melancholy. Once he was released, he continued to paint. In a remarkable career that spanned about a decade, he turned out hundreds of paintings, including at least forty self-portraits. And then, before he was forty years old, he took his own life. Few other artists have been as successful in expressing their feelings as Vincent van Gogh. Dozens of his works are considered masterpieces. Scholars continue to try to diagnose his mental state and wonder at the talent that was lost. ... Read more

Product Description
Catalogue of exhibitions-- Dallas Museum of Fine Arts and Philadelphia Museum of Arts in 1967; Toledo Museum of Arts and National Gallery of Canada in 1968. Essay by V. W. van Gogh; Chronology, 90 works listed in catalogue; mostly b/w illus. w/few in color [appears that all 90 works may be shown - unpaginated]. ... Read more

Book Description
This is an inspiring volume for artists, art lovers, and students. With rich color reproductions, it studies the masterful oeuvre of Vincent Van Gogh, from his early gloom-laden paintings to the work of his final years under a southern sun in Arles, France. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A novice liked it
I spotted this book and, having been impressed by the Van Gogh exhibit at the National Gallery last year, decided to check it out. (That being said, I know very little about art and seldom read about it, so this reviewshould be taken in that light.)

Van Gogh was an amazingly prolificpainter. His artistic career lasted scarcely ten years, but in that time hecreated enough paintings to decorate nearly every page of this 250-pagebook - and those aren't even all of them.

The book itself is acombination of a biography and an analysis of his paintings. This flowssmoothly, perhaps because Van Gogh put so much of himself into his art: hismoods are clear from what he depicted and how he depicted it.

Thebiographical portion makes for interesting reading in and of itself. VanGogh actually came rather late to art after failing at other occupations,including that of a minister. Once he turns to art, he is almostimmediately remarkably capable. Later on, he attempts to set up an artisticcommunity in his famous "yellow house," with the help of Gaugain. It's acollaboration that fails disastrously, with Gaugain leaving and Van Goghcutting off his earlobe. Van Gogh has a difficult time psychologically fora few years, then, when it seems he has finally turned things around, goesout and shoots himself. The authors suggest it's due to his believe that adead artist is more valued than a live one, a strange but possibly truepremise.

The analysis of the paintings, comfortably intertwined with thebiographical information, are interesting as well, at least to someone likeme who only barely understands painting. While the analysis occasionallydescends into what is to me artsy gobbledegook, by and large the commentsare incisive and point out the distinctive qualities of each painting andhow it relates to his other work. The tone is positive and descriptive,which I liked. I could easily have imagined a much more critical approachor a tone that indicated this is the way to look at this painting. But theauthors fall into neither trap.

So this artistic novice, at least, foundthis to be an excellent book about a great artist. Recommended for allthose with an interest in the subject.

IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD THE COMPLETE PAINTING THIS IS FOR YOU
I purchased this book not being aware of the complete painting book but if I knew about the other one ( complete painting ) I probably would have chose that book for sure ! Anyway, as a second choise this is a great valuebook . The picture are beautifull and the text is full of detail about VanGogh's life that is exceeded only by the Letter to Theo book published byPenguin. Well,now that you know my opinion, order this book if you aretight with money; other wise you may consider the complete painting if thequality of the picture and the text is as good as this book. Ciao ... Read more

Product Description
Vincent Van Gogh died a gruesome death at the age of 37, after a life of misery and loneliness. How did this son of a clergyman, who once dreamed of following in his father's footsteps, come to be one of the world's most beloved artists? The mysteries that surround Van Gogh's life and career are addressed in this insightful and informative volume, one of the first four of a series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a must for any art student or art lover
I really found this book to be a vauable source of in formation about Van Gogh.So much can be learned about an artist through studying his sketches and drawings. Its a very beautiful book and a perfect addition to an artenthusiast's collection. This book offered much more than the traditioalVan Gogh collections. Unlike the majority of Van Gogh books, it offeredmore than reprints of only his most famous works. ... Read more

Book Description
From the time of Vincent van Gogh's death in 1890 until the outbreak of World War I, Van Gogh's work came to be seen as the epitome of internationally groundbreaking art--particularly in Germany, where artists like Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and others of Die Brucke (The Bridge) group were fascinated by his technique, his powerful brushwork, his strongly contrasting colors and glowing palette. Vassily Kandinsky and the artists of Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) movement esteemed van Gogh for rejecting visible reality and penetrating the essence of nature. Austrian artists Egon Schiele and Oscar Kokoschka, on the other hand, were impressed by his soulful expression and insightful psychological portraits. The scholar and curator, Jill Lloyd, who is profoundly knowledgeable in the field of Expressionism, here places an exquisite selection of works by Expressionist artists in the context of van Gogh's most important paintings, documenting the lasting influence of this nineteenth-century Dutch painter on Expressionist art in Germany and Austria. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A new field of study on Van Gogh's art
A beautiful catalogue for an exhibition held at the Neue Galerie in NY in 2007, this book shows how German and Austrian artists, from Kokoschka, Kirchner, Schmidt-Rottluff to Egon Schiele, Gerstl and even, to some extent, Klimt, were all inspired by the Dutch master. The book studies the reception of Van Gogh in both countries in the first two decades of the XXth century (German museums started buying his works before American museums), through the active trade of dealers and patrons. It also dwells on the nazi period in Germany, when both Van Gogh and the expressionists were included in the so-called "degenerate art", deemed so by the fascist leaders who ended up selling their works at auction (pictures of the auctions appear in the book).

The illustrations are perfect (sometimes placing next to each other works by Van Gogh and their interpretation, so to speak, by each expressionist artist) and the selection of works, some of them actual masterpieces, makes this book a top-quality companion to the exhibition. An interesting post-war development, which is well described in the book, is the influenceVan Gogh had on Francis Bacon, through the latter's series inspired by a painting destroyed during WWII. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

This book is tiny
I didn't realize how small this book was (I have never thought to look at the dimensions of a book before).It is tiny - a pocket book!Oh well, one less stocking stuffer to buy, and one less present under the tree.

Van Gogh Review
Excelent and insightful. Provided great information on the master artist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Van Gogh, a man worth getting to know.
In his early years as an artist, Vincent Van Gogh vividly related his concept of art to his brother Theo in two separate letters from July of 1882, numbered 218 and 221. In this book of Vincent's letters, translated by W.H. Auden, these letters can be more carefully read than if I were to paraphrase or quote bits and pieces here. His letters are a portal into the mind of a great artist and a misunderstood man. While there are more complete books of Van Goghs writings available, this collection gets to the core of Vincent as a man and as an artist.
Vincent was not some wacko who cut off part of his ear and shot himself from insanity, he was rather, a deeply caring man, a genius who observed life so far over the heads of the so-called art experts that they could not see his vision. I did not become a lover of Vincent's art work until after I had read this book of his letters and was able to see more clearly what he was conveying on canvas. I have admired Auden as a poet for many years and this translation of his is far more readable than other translations I have read since. For anyone who has ever admired Van Gogh's paintings, this book is a must read, but for anyone who has seen them and not appreceiated his perception of the world, read this book and you will change your mind and your heart as well. You might even come to understand and love this great man's artwork. JJ

An excellent selection of letters
The British poet WH Auden has compiled a wonderful selection from Van Gogh'sletters. Auden makes his selection..."What," I asked myself, "is the single most important fact about Von Gogh?" To that there seemed only one answer - "That he painted pictures". Hence the selection focuses on those letters which contain his reflections on the art of painting and the problems of being a painter. Other letters, eg to his father and brother, are included as they throw light upon Van Gogh's career as a painter. Also included are descriptions of VG by his acquaintances, 40 illustrations and a brief biography by his nephew. Of interest to artists as well as admirers of Van Gogh's works. ... Read more