Product Description
First published by the New York Graphic Society in 1958. The collection has been the source of numerous biographical and fictional works, but none has matched the intensity of the original material. Most of the letters were written to the artists brother, Theo, and it was Theos son, Vincent, who acted as consulting editor for the publication.Amazon.com Review
After more than 1,500 pages of Vincent van Gogh's letters, most of them addressed to his younger brother, Theo, a reader is exhausted by the struggles, arguments, and ultimate suicide of the creator of some of the most coveted paintings on earth, and yet elated by the triumph of art and family devotion over constant sorrow.

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

This three-volume, boxed set is a replica of the one originally published in 1958 by the New York Graphic Society, a translation from the Dutch of letters painstakingly ordered and preserved by Theo's young widow, Jo, in the early part of the 20th century. It would have benefited from annotations reflecting recent van Gogh scholarship and theory, but nonetheless it remains a remarkable collection of documents, including Jo's well-known memoir and family history. The early drawings are shockingly clunky, without a hint of grace or confidence. This awkwardness never disappears entirely, but evolves into an aura of hard-won authenticity, as if van Gogh were continually grappling with some fundamental, but ineffable, truth.

The symptoms of madness, "an illness much like any other," alienated Vincent from everyone around him. Even his aging parents, he wrote, "feel the same dread of 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 the antidote: "The right thing is to work." Work he did, with astonishing single-mindedness. He mercilessly demanded supplies and continual financial aid from his brother, and although we think of their relationship as a perfect union, Vincent wrote with occasional anger, impatience, or even cruelty, once coldly assessing Theo's personality: "The bright side of your character is your reliability in money matters."

There is a tremendous dramatic tension in the third volume of letters, as we see the artist leap ahead in skill and insight, knowing all the while that this is a life that does not go all the way. This collection requires, and rewards, a devoted reader. --Margaret Moorman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

complete letters of vincent van gogh
Wonderful collection, has helped in my research of Van Gogh.A must for any Van Gogh art lover.thank you

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. ... Read more

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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

A literary classic, The Letters of Vincent van Gogh Captures the voice of one of the most beloved and important artists of all time.

Though Vincent van Gogh is often thought of as a mad genius, in The Letters of Vincent van Gogh the thoughtful, effervescent, and sensitive man is revealed to readers through his own voice.

This collection of letters, arranged in chronological order and written to Vincent's closest confidant, his brother and art dealer, Theo, provide a riveting narrative of van Gogh's life. The letters expose Vincent's creative process; his joy and inspiration derived from literature, Japanese art, and nature; as well as his many romantic disappointments and constant poverty. Also documented are Vincent's close relationships with fellow artists, especially Paul Gauguin. Van Gogh's tender and often ebullient letters provide a sharp contrast to the devastating and frequently violent mental breakdowns that plagued and eventually destroyed him.

Collected and edited by art historian Mark Roskill, this volume also includes a chronology, a short memoir by van Gogh's sister-in-law that fills in many of the blanks of Vincent's early years, and reproductions of selected artwork discussed in van Gogh's letters.

An epistolary classic, The Letters of Vincent van Gogh is not just an important historical collection but also a captivating treasure.Amazon.com Review
This thorough collection of van Gogh's letters has beenassembled with an artful eye and sensitivity to the artist's thinking.The result is an atypical take on Vincent van Gogh that avoids puttingtoo much stress on his troubled mental state and too much straining bythe editor to shape a narrative out of van Gogh's epistolary clues.Instead, we see the thoughtful and contemplative side of thiscreative genius, as well as his concern for the impact his art andlife had on those people closest to him. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A Self-Portrait in Post
These letters provide a more intimate look into the person of Vincent van Gogh than any college course you'll ever take. In going through the book, the reader gets a real sense that by the end the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. This collection isn't an oversimplified summary of a life, but rather a look at Vincent as a complicated soul with many layers to his personality, like most of us.

Kindle Font Formatting is Flawed
The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh (Penguin Classics eBook)

I was prepared to purchase the Kindle version of this volume. I downloaded the sample to make sure that the Kindle formatting was edited correctly. It is not. The first paragraph of every section is in a very small font compared with the bulk of the text.

I compared this formatting with the sample for the paperback version. The paperback version font does not change sizes in the paragraphs mentioned.

Van Gogh
This was purchased as a gift. The recipient enjoyed it and thought it was a fascinating read.

Essential Reading for anyone who likes Van Gogh
Essential reading for anyone who likes Van Gogh's paintings and wants to learn more about Van Gogh the man.

Good
shipping is fast. It is a new book but to say the truth, the quality of the book is not perfect, the papers are lightweighted.
With the price, it is a good deal anyway.. Love Vincent ~ ... Read more

Product Description
Throughout his career, Vincent van Gogh attempted the paradoxical task of representing night through color and tonality. His procedure followed the trend set by the Impressionists of "translating" visual light effects with various color combinations, yet this goal was grafted onto his desire to interweave the visual and the metaphorical in order to produce fresh and original works of art. These different artistic concerns found themselves powerfully bound together in Van Gogh's nocturnal and twilight paintings and drawings. This illuminating volume, published to accompany the first exhibition to focus on this aspect of Van Gogh's career, presents new insight on Van Gogh's depictions of night landscapes, interior scenes and the effects of both artificial and natural light on their surroundings. Representing all periods of the artist's career, this volume features more than 100 images of superlative quality, including large reproductions of works by Van Gogh, details of iconic paintings and images of works by other artists that were important to the development of Van Gogh's oeuvre. Essays by the exhibition organizers provide historical and personal contexts for better understanding the artist's motives and offer in-depth studies of the technical and stylistic aspects of Van Gogh's work.
Vincent van Gogh was born in 1853 in The Netherlands. His career as an artist lasted only 10 years, but he produced almost 2,000 paintings and works on paper during this brief period, many of them described or sketched in his extensive correspondence with his brother Theo. Van Gogh is most celebrated for his bold use of color and expressive painting technique. He spent his last years in the south of France, where he painted many of his most famous works. He died in Auvers-sur-Oise, just north of Paris, on July 29, 1890. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great pictures!
We couldn't make it to the exhibition so we ordered the book.We love the variety of the paintings & the colors used.Good edition to our collection.

Van Gogh colors
Since I was going to visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, I checked its website for exhibits and found the "Colors" information.I ordered the exhibit book, which is a delight and gave me so much insight into the transition of Van Gogh's paintings.The study of the book enriched my visit to the Van Gogh, as the museum did not have all the background explanations of the book.

van gogh's delight
I recommend this book because it is a perfect balance of art & text: there are so many great high quality colour reproductions of Van Gogh's work, with the added bonus of hearing from researchers at the Van Gogh Museum & MOMA. There are also many examples of his sketches and handwriting (in personal letters), and close details of his brushwork - great if you missed the exhibit! I also like that there are quotes from Van Gogh throughout the book because they inspire me to return to the paintings with his words fresh in mind.I enjoyed finding out more about the importance of the nocturnal theme in Van Gogh's overall body of work. I admire his paintings a lot, and it's interesting how much he studied this theme and worked so hard to capture the mystery and delight of the night as he saw it.It seems he found a new appreciation for what the darkness brings. Every time I look at his work I am so impressed and inspired...it's a great book!

Sacred beauty in the night
Having seen the MOMA exhibit myself several times, I couldn't help myself from respectfully putting another point of view out there after reading the two reviews that seem to say that the theme of Van Gogh's night paintings was weak or contrived.I know the reviewers are not questioning the works themselves, but the exhibit on which the book is based, so if you like Van Gogh you are probably looking to see if this specific interpretation from MOMA is worthwhile.It is.I found it very illuminating and fail to see how one couldn't come to the conclusion that the night paintings were core to how Van Gogh saw his world.It seems cynical to put forth that it was just a random collection of "some paintings he did at night".I wish that those of you who were not able to see this wonderful exhibit could have felt the quiet magic that leaped off of these paintings, and the way they were grouped together created a cohesive theme and mood.The Potato Eaters, the Dancehall in Arles, the outdoor scenes, all describe a world that couldn't be seen the same way under the brightness of the sun.The few daytime paintings provided contrast and insight into a greater whole about his life and work, and why/how he was painting the way he did.I almost felt like deleting this review because I can't possibly describe the way I felt when I connected with these night moods, and the person who channeled them.But I couldn't let this book sit here with a 2-star review because with all the various offerings of Van Gogh books out there, it would be a shame to miss out on a wonderful way of looking at him.In lieu of a MOMA visit, then, this book is an excellent choice.

Barely Three Stars
I have to agree with the previous reviewers comments about the Van Gogh exhibit he was unfortunately unable to attend. I just came from the MOMA today, and it was indeed remarkable to have so many of the artist's works in a single show.

That said, I would also concur that the central theme of the show is a bit contrived. It seems to be organized around a few comments Van Gogh made to his brother Theo (the exhibit includes multiple letters the artist wrote to his closest sibling) about effectively capturing the beauty of the night sky through artistic method. Beyond the two Starry Night works, the remaining pieces displayed are less on-point with regard to the general theme. However, so much Van Gogh in one place is truly rewarding. I can't complain about the exhibit.

I am admittedly not trained in art in any way, so I'm left with what I've learned through some undergraduate classes and auto-didactic energies. Having said that, the value of the book for those who have not attended the exhibit may be limited with a couple of exceptions: The MOMA exhibit very effectively displays Van Gogh's progression through the late 1880s from work that lacks distinctive quality to pieces like the Starry Night works that scream his name. Also, the book breaks down Van Gogh's work by having numerous curators, educators, and artists evaluate his life and productivity. The commentary is doubtless not groundbreaking, but I found it interesting for someone who is not steeped in artistic technique or history. ... Read more

Product Description
A six-volume, slipcased set and a major publishing event: Van Gogh’s letters in their unexpurgated form, newly translated, with explanatory notes, and featuring more than 2,000 works of art to which the artist refers in his letters.Vincent van Gogh’s letters have long been prized as some of the most valuable documents in the world of art. Not only do they throw light on Van Gogh’s own complex and intriguing character, they enlighten the whole creative process.

This edition is an immense treasure trove of biographical and art-historical information. The culmination of fifteen years of new research and superseding all previous editions in its ambition and up-to-date scholarship, it provides a lasting pleasure as a personal testimony to a life consecrated to art.

• Over 4,300 illustrations
• New transcriptions of every known letter to or from Van Gogh
• The complete collection: this edition includes all the letters, both in the Van Gogh Museum and those in other museums, archives and private collections
• New translations render Van Gogh’s words more closely than ever before – unadorned, unimproved, faithful and accurate
• Van Gogh's sketches, made throughout the letters, are reproduced here at full size
• New material: previously unknown letters and fragments of letters are published in English here for the first time
• New scholarship: fifteen years of new research have added to scholars’ understanding of Van Gogh’s life and work. Extensive research has been carried out to identify every work of art mentioned, whether produced by Van Gogh or by other artists.
• Authoritative editing: many omissions and misreadings in previous editions have now been corrected. For the first time the letters are fully annotated.
• Supplementary texts add information about Van Gogh’s life, his family, his correspondents, his characteristics as a letter-writer and the context in which the letters were written. Also includes a comprehensive list of materials discussed in the letters, a chronology of his life and a full index
• Exemplary design: the typography and design is by Wim Crouwel, one of Holland’s most accomplished book designers of the last fifty years

Customer Reviews (4)

Vincent Van Gogh The letters
I recieved this set of 6 volumes about 2 weeks ago.I have been attempting to read the first volume.It is an incredible set.I have been a fan of Van Gogh since I read Lust for Life when I was 20.Even after 29 years I am facinated and teary-eyed about his passion for art.I started reading his letters to understand the turmoil and passion and thinking behind the artist who lived a very short time.I recently obtain Taschen's Van GoghComplete paintings which is very complimentary to his letters.
The print of the Letters is small but the set is very complete.

Gotta Have It!
I followed the progress of this project on the Van Gogh Foundations website for many months and ordered it the minute the edition was available. This is not for casual reader of Vincent, but if you want to take your research and studies to the next level, you need this set. Its very expensive but worth every penny. I agree with the first reviewer about the slip case. Its very cheap and mine was damaged during shipping, but other than that, this set is a gem. I have been studying Van Gogh for many years and I have already learned a few new things about him and havent even made it through the first volume yet. I read a few letters a day and sometimes I forget he has been gone over a hundred years. Seems he is not to far away, sharing his thoughts with me... A true time machine.

The best Christmas gift I've ever received (from myself)
A spectacular production on every level: illustrations, text, translation, packaging, the whole nine yards, or should I say the whole 600 bucks. Like every truly great book, this is a time machine to another place and another mind. I see myself in 30 years, retired, poring over and over this book with a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog curled up beside me.

a modest genius
I would like to point out, to begin with, that this review concerns the 2009 Dutch language edition, which appeared a few weeks earlier than the French and English ones. Van Gogh's letters have always drawn attention. Emile Bernard started publishing letters in France in 1893, Cassirer did the same in Germany 10 years later, first in a magazine, in 1906 also in book form. Three volumes of letters to his brother were published in book form in 1914 by Theo's widow, Jo van Gogh-Bonger. But the edition from which later ones descend, was published in Holland between 1952 and 1954. It contained some 650 letters, all of them published in the original language in which they were written, 6 in English, about 300 in French, and the rest in Dutch. In 1990 in Holland there was published a 4-volume Dutch language cloth edition, normal book size, in sunflower yellow of the collected letters of Vincent Van Gogh. The edition counted 2254 pages and 908 letters, with French and English letters translated. As far as I know these volumes have never been published in English or any other language. The edition showed all the sketches mentioned in the text. But although heavily annotated, many things mentioned in the letters remained obscure, while the chronology was sometimes dubious.
Now, in the beginning October 2009, has appeared, in Dutch, French and English a new 6 volume edition which contains 902 letters, 819 by Van Gogh himself, of which 658 to Theo, plus 25 so called documents, which consist of letters that remained unfinished, incomplete or were never sent. It has been estimated that about 290 letters written by Van Gogh are missing, and that he must have received another 550 that have been lost as well; which means that there must have existed a grand total of about 1750 letters, sent as well as received by him. The new edition publishes 819 letters written by Van Gogh himself, and 39 left of the many ones written by his brother Theo - all except two dating from the last two years - and by other artists, like Gauguin (16), in total 83. The large format edition is extensively annotated, printed on great looking paper, and shows literally everything mentioned in the letters itself, every painting, every sketch, every scribble, (always in full color if available), and that on the same pages as the letters themselves, which saves a lot of leafing. It explains every name mentioned. I bought the books in Amsterdam and had to carry home 15 slipcased kilos. Volume six contains no letters, but extensive essays on the translations, on the genealogy of the family Van Gogh, a list of correspondents, a 12 page biography, a 10 page chronology, a list of technical terms, a bibliography, and (very useful) 25 maps of places where Van Gogh lived or stayed. Finally there is a 20 page list of all the works by Van Gogh mentioned in the letters,a separate 20 page list of all the sketches, and a 36 page register of works by other artists (painters, writers, etc), and finally registers of places, andpersons. The layout looks wonderful, and was made by Wim Crouwel, who is an excellent Dutch designer.
Some minor gripes? Yes. Like I said, Van Gogh wrote 6 of his letters in English, and more than 300 in French (which he started doing the minute he arrived in Paris in February 1886), and I was sorry to see that the originals had not been included in the Dutch language edition. The only other quibble I had is the rather cheap looking carton (paperboard) exterior of the books. For the price I paid (325 euros, after January395 euros) I would have preferred linen.
Complete and expensive as it is, this may not be everyone's cup of tea, especially since the complete edition will be available for free on internet. Yet, for people interested in Van Gogh this edition is of course a must-have. Weird as he is now and then, a zealot and a preacher if ever there was one, irritating in his strong opinions, always trying to convert, and convince others of his personal ideas, and one who must in modern eyes have had something of a tramp, covering enormous distances on foot, and not being very particular about his personal hygiene, always craving for attention and admiration, but also utterly modest and heartwarmingly sympathetic, called to painting late in life, never satisfied with what he is doing, always telling Theo that his paintings are not yet finished, he is also a great writer, who without practically any schooling wrote a very vivid Dutch, fluent French and good English. Naïve and confused as he sometimes is, he can also be quite shrewd. It is my belief that Van Gogh's letters will always remain a fascinating artists biography, which are on a par with his paintings. And although he may, in time to come, lose something of the reputation as a painter he is enjoying now, I am convinced that the letters will always remain a great document humain, just like those of Flaubert, or Casanova's Memoires, albeit of course in a very different way. A lot of money, certainly, but well spent. ... Read more

Product 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 (3)

bright with shade
This is most useful to students of van gogh because it focuses so on the drawings and the whole range of development in van gogh's artistry.The match of his lyrical descriptive writing with his specific creations is a window into the inspiration of visual artistry.Notes with the pictures that would match the text of the letters would have helped a lot.Seeing the drawn studies for some of the more famous paintings sometimes without the paintings themselves was a refreshing visual treatment of the reality of Vincent's process of creation. Then the drawings that never got painted take on a life of their own in our imagination. And the study drawings and letter sketches give the experience of the process.The book is more useful to those who want to understand van gogh the painter than vincent the man.In the very first chapter entry Suh makes a false distinction between Vincent's spiritual religion and his love of nature.She mistakes his renunciation of the God of his father for a rejection of religious belief. This misses a whole layer of intellectual and spiritual development that should be understood as an element of his art, not as distinct from it.Van gogh reveals the evolution of modern spirituality as a painter.This aspect Suh leaves in the shadows.

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

Product 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 (9)

What a fun book!
This book is written for kids in a simplistic, sometimes comedic, and easy to read form. There are pictures of many of his works, and the authors talk about everything from the artist's life to his style, subjects, and color choices! Granted, many of these musings are brief, but it is definitely enough to get any child seeing the world of art in full color!

A surprise find
I used this book to introduce art to my 1st grader. The content is colorful, simple to understand, and inspiring. I encouraged my 1st grader to re draw some of the pictures. She had a blast and of course they were better than the originals :-)

Maeve' s Review
My Mom had been singing "Starry Starry night" to me and I had the seen the Starry night picture in my art room at school so I wanted to know more about artist. My Mom got this book for me and I loved it. The fact that it is written in the style of a school report and is full of doodles and personnel thoughts made it very easy to follow. My Mom & I both learned some new things and now I want to go to the museum in the Netherlands to see the letters he wrote to his brother because he drew pictures around the edges.

Great book for kids
Great book to introduce Van Gogh - nice reproductions and storyline, but then I'm biased as this is my favorite artist!

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. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (15)

never got it!
I was so looking forward to this book. My best friend and I both ordered books from Amazon for a weekend in the country and she ordered hers, a new book with FEDEX delivery and neither of us got what we ordered. We both got refunds and that was it. Kind of puts me off ordering again.

Vincent Van Gogh: The Drawings (Metropolitan Museum of Art Series)

not up to the achievement of a greatdraftsman
To find out how far short this book falls from many of the great drawings of Van Gogh you can go online and find many drawings not found in this book.There are many sites to look at Vincent's work. With zooming and enlarging the drawings you will have a better idea of the work . So many of the ink drawings of Van Gogh have faded. One of his greatest drawingsof trees is in the Art Institute of Chicago.It is illustrated here.The authors miss the central importance of Vincent's work. His use of the reed pen was painterly. He used the reed pen as a brush technique.He drew ,many times when he was out of paints or waiting for canvases from Theo. The catalogue is useful in relating the drawings to his paintings . Often in a nearby page.Catalogues are great as a way of remembering and reviewing an important exhibit.This is an enormously ambitious book from the Metropolitan Museum. It falls short, as I think it would be much better to have a compact disk of the images.It irks me because it doesn't include a lot of my favorites..I have books on Van Gogh's stuff that I used to show my drawing classes.A book of this weightdoesn't full fill the need of something you wish to carry with you.To have a major show of drawings in an era of installation art , I salute the museum's acknowledgement of the importance of these drawings. It is in the drawings that Van Gogh's reputation will continue to grow. His palette was unprecedented in the early 20th century. Since then, his command of color compositiondoesn't hold up to later developments.He and Gauguin led to the color found in Matisse.Who in turn led to the brighter palettes of modern art. I purchased this book via Amazon

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. ... Read more

Product 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 (3)

Must buy!
Great book for all kids. I'm an art teacher and have used this book as an assigned reading. It's very hard to find good books for kids about artists. This is the exception.

Odd duck Dutchman disappoints, ditches; gains respect and admiration for masterful artwork only in death
The last words of a dying Vincent van Gogh, having shot himself in the stomach ten years into his career as an artist, (p 103) "I wished I could pass away like this." A tragic ending to a troubled life, van Gogh was only thirty-seven years old. Although his family worried about his extremist behavior, mental state, relationships with women, and inability to make a decent wage (for much of his life, his brother Theo supported him), the Dutchman's self-confidence in the salability of his work is obvious from letters he wrote to his supportive younger brother (over 600 in all). And although he had male friendships, female relationships, and a brief engagement, his affliction with a medical condition, (p 86) "an unusual form of epilepsy, possibly complicated by the effects of absinthe or digitalis poisoning," resulted in occasional bizarre behavior and a reputations as a bit of a mental case: Vincent (p 79) "slashed off his earlobe with a razor" after an altercation with his roommate and friend Paul Gauguin.

The book covers from his birth, to a pastor father and an amateur artist mother; through his various careers, primarily as a missionary and then a painter; to his early death and includes information on his relationships and paintings (including photographs), and geographical locations. Although written at about a fourth grade reading level, Vincent van Gogh, an excellent, chronologically-written biography of a misunderstood man, might better be saved for sixth grade and up due to the sensitive issue of suicide. Also good: The Second Mrs. Giaconda by E.L. Konigsburg (for adults) and Art Songs: Ten Songs about Artists by Agnes and Aubrey (kids music CD).

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

Product Description
Vincent van Gogh's paintings are now popular the worldover, although few people, apart from his brother Theo, recognized hisgenius during his lifetime. 'Visiting Vincent van Gogh' takes us tothe different places where the Dutch artist lived and worked. The booktells of his turbulent life and shows us how Vincent van Gogh saw theworld which he captured in his brightly colored paintings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great art book for all ages!
Visiting Van Gogh is not only a great book for kids to simply flip through and look at the pictures, but also for adults and educators.It is written with such imagery that kids and adults alike feel they actually hear the floor creek in "The Bedroom" and can touch the paints he uses.It also gives a short history of Van Gogh and highlights several of his most impressive paintings. This is not only a book to be used at home, but also in the classroom. I am pursuing an elementary education degree and I plan on using this book in the classroom for it can be used very easily to generate an early interest in art. I give this book a thumbs up! ... Read more

Product Description
Full-color reproductions of all of van Gogh's self-portraits, along with excerpts from his writings, provide an insightful and evocative look into the life of one of the world's greatest artists.Amazon.com Review
Between 1885 and 1889, Vincent van Gogh created more than 40 self-portraits, all of which are included in this unique collection. Art historian Bernard Denvir provides brief descriptions and includes excerpts from van Gogh's personal diaries and correspondence. Also included are a detailed family tree, a biographical index, and a chronology of the artist's life. Paintings of van Gogh by Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin, Pissarro, and other contemporaries complement this 144-page volume. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Magnificent
This is a magnificent, indispensable book. It includes all the self-portraits, photographs of Van Gogh as a child and a young man, portraits of Van Gogh by other artists, Van Gogh's portraits of his family, a chronology, and a few pages of impressions by people who knew Van Gogh.
Paging through the portraits can only be described as a devastating experience. The mad genius, on his way to hospitalization, self-mutilation and suicide, drawn to the self-portrait in the interest of self-knowledge and perhaps self-therapy, shown in all his avatars. Some of the pictures are so beautiful they take your breath away. Others are so frightening you wouldn't want them on your wall. But they are all haunting, all unforgettable.
Amazon says Courage Books, but my two copies say Running Press, Philadelphia. Printed in England. The reproductions are small, but you get the idea, with a vengeance.
My copies were bought at a discount, but the book is worth every penny of the list price. I would have paid $100 for it.
Not to be missed.
... Read more

Product Description
Van Gogh's brother Theo was his confidant and companion, and, in his letters to him, Van Gogh reveals himself as artist and man. Even more than if he had purposely intended to tell his life story, Van Gogh's letters lay bare his deepest feelings, as well as his everyday concerns and his views of the world of art. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Dear Theo
Purchased this book during my Van Gogh stage in my painting. I read it quite soon after I purchased it and found it enlightening about the artist--what motivated him, his intense relationships with people, Theo's intense relationship with his brother, and how he arrived to be a world reknown painter being such a humble man. The book arrived in good condition, in a timely manner, and was a good price.

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. ... Read more

Product 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 (9)

Teaches toddlers colors through the use of Van Gogh's images
My grandson loves this book! Teaches colors while instilling in the child an appreciation for art. Great book for infants/toddlers.

educational books with wonderful illustrations
This book is extremely simple.On each page, it has photos of Van Gogh's work with the title, so it becomes educational for the parent as well.The colors are bold and vibrant to stimulate the mind's of young children.This book makes a wonderful and thoughtful gift.

Beginner's Van Gough
Several of my grandchildren have learned to love van Gough's art.This is a nice introduction and an easy reference.

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. ... Read more

Product Description
Vincent van Gogh was an artist wholly saturated in the colors and contours of the landscapes in which he lived and painted. More than Manet or Gauguin, nature itself was his muse and teacher: "it is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to, the feeling for the things themselves, for reality is more important than the feeling for pictures," he once avowed. Between Earth and Heaven is the first book to provide a comprehensive survey of van Gogh's work as a landscape painter, identifying the stylistic transitions that were specific to this aspect of his work. It shows how the earthy tones of his early Dutch phase were gradually replaced by a lighter style following his relocation to Paris, and how, in the south of France, the artist discovered the intense, brilliant colors and vital expression that have made his paintings so fascinating to this day. Essays by renowned art historians and specialists explore this facet of van Gogh's oeuvre, examining both the artist's blockbuster landscape works and lesser-known paintings.
Although he witnessed little success during his lifetime, today Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) is rated as one of the greatest Dutch painters in history. He produced the majority of his work--some 900 paintings and 1,100 drawings--during a brief span of ten years, before he succumbed to mental illness and committed suicide at the age of 37. A seminal figure in the Post-Impressionist movement and an early pioneer of Expressionism, van Gogh is today one of the world's most famous artists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Was Van Gogh a Dutch, French or universal landscape painter?
This book is the catalogue for a wonderful exhibition held at the Kunstmuseum Basel, Switzerland, from April to September 2009. Centered on Van Gogh's many depictions of the Dutch, Parisian and eventually, Provencial landscapes, it gives the reader an opportunity to studya number of paintings seldom seen outside German, Swiss and Northern European museums (Holland and Denmark especially), with some additions from American and French museums.

The essays are interesting and shed new light on such themes as Van Gogh's roots and inspirations, his evolution towards an emotional, almost expressionistic (ahead of Expressionism obviously) approach of landscape painting, also on the question whether he should be considered a French painter in spirit and style, or rather a "Dutch painter in France", or even "an outsider whose genius transcended all borders". There are also enlightening passages on the reception of Van Gogh's art in Germany, and especially in Nazi Germany (one surprisingly learns of Goering's taste for Van Gogh's paintings, which he prominently displayed in his Carinhall palace, when at the same time Hitler banned them from German museums...).

Now, as opposed to the other reviewer, I was somewhat disappointed with the quality of the reproductions, all of the works figuring in the exhibition being illustrated half-page and the ones not in the exhibition being granted thumbnail-sized images only. Besides, having seen the exhibition in Basel, I found the colors in the book rather far from the originals. One is entitled to expect better quality from Hatje Cantz in this respect with today's technologies. Therefore, only 3 stars for the illustations and 5 for the text, which makes an average of 4 stars...

treasure trove of masterful landscape painting
Vincent van Gogh's genius needs no reiterating. In his output, he was equally adept in the depiction of people, still life and landscape. This catalogue, featuring some of the master's landscape oeuvre, is associated with an exhibition held this year at the Kunstmuseum Basel. I was fortunate to have attended this stellar event in person and it is instructive to compare the "real thing" with the images presented in this excellent catalogue.

No reproduction, however good, can replicate the experience of seeing an original art painting. This is particularly so with a painter such as van Gough who utilised thick impasto brush strokes and strong colors in many of his works. Nevertheless, the publishers Hatje Cantz have made a successful effort giving the reader a reasonable impression of the original.

Van Gogh's total output of paintings was in the vicinity of 900; this exhibition presented 69 of these. Personally, I was pleased to come upon many of these works for the first time. Of course the usual familiar suspects are there, but a significant proportion of the paintings are sourced from smaller galleries and private collections.

The introductory essays are informative. The authors propose that van Gogh created some of his works in cycles, groups and triptychs. There are also a number of interesting contemporaneous photographs of locations that the artist painted.
For those interested in this aspect of van Gogh's output, Hatje Cantz has alsopublished a volume entitled "Fields".

I strongly recommend this beautifully produced catalogue. ... Read more

Product Description
The collection of the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam contains almost 200 drawings from the years in which Vincent van Gogh woked in the south of France: Arles, Saint-Remy and Auvers-sur-Oise. These are catalogued here in one extensive volume, which forms the largest and final part of the complete catalogue of Van Gogh drawings in the Van Gogh Museum's collections. In February 1888, Van Gogh settled in Arles, where he was extraordinarily productive, but sold no pictures, was in poverty and suffered recurrent nervous crises with hallucinations and depression. In May 1889 he went at his own request into an asylum at St Remy, near Arles, but continued during the year he spent there to produce delirious paintings and drawings. In 1899 Vincent's brother Theo married and in May 1890 Vincent moved to Auvers-sur-Oise to be near him. There followed another tremendous burst of activity, but his spiritual anguish and depression became more acute and on 19 July 1890 he died from the results of a self-inflicted bullet wound. Van Gogh's most important drawings were made in this productive and traumatic period.This catalogue is the result of many years of research and contains detailed discussion of each drawing, full technical data, a comprehensive bibliography, and lists of written sources and exhibitions. Two wide-ranging introductory essays discuss stylistic development in the drawings and Van Gogh's materials, technique and experimentation. ... Read more

Product Description
Instantly recognizable as one of the most iconic images of modern culture, Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night" draws thousands of visitors every day at The Museum of Modern Art. Yet few are familiar with the story behind this unlikely masterpiece, envisioned and executed by Van Gogh during his stay at a mental hospital in Saint-Remy. "The Starry Night" is no ordinary landscape painting, with its surging forces, resonant chromatics and mysterious shapes that reflect Van Gogh's unique state of mind at the time. In this informative volume--the latest in a series on favorite artists and important works in MoMA's collection--distinguished art historian Richard Thomson provides an overview of the painting within the context of its creation, bringing together Van Gogh's correspondence regarding the painting and the Parisian art scene of his time with an in-depth exploration of his technique and style. Highlighting significant details not easily visible at first glance, and illustrated with dozens of comparable works, Vincent van Gogh: The Starry Night is an indispensable guide to one of the most famous paintings of the nineteenth century. ... Read more