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A review by willdrown
The Vincent van Gogh Atlas by Nienke Denekamp, Van Gogh Museum
4.0
A short, informative, colorful look into Vincent van Gogh's life and travels.
tl;dr at Overall
Vincent was a turbulent man with a varied, haunted life, a great subject to learn about.
This is primarily aimed at people, who know nothing about van Gogh, I'd assume, as the book is less a serious compilation of his life and more of an illustrated guide to his movements throughout Europe and his rise as an artist.
As someone who knew nothing about the man - I greatly enjoyed reading this and finding out more. If you are mostly familiar with his oil paintings then you'll certainly have a chance to expand your horizons when you look at a plethora of his early sketches and drawings. It's actually easy to trace his growth via the numerous works shown in the book, a big plus for someone who wants to not just find out how van Gogh lived, but also to know more about his style, technique and evolution as a painter.
I wouldn't have minded more extensive information, but what was presented was still sufficient and compelling. Perhaps doubly so owing to the format, every page lined with photos, sketches, letters from family members, and maps that showcase Vincent's travels.
Hopefully some other great painters will get the same treatment, as this was a pleasure to read.
Overall, concise, knowledgable, and pretty book on one of the greatest artists. If you have any interest in learning who van Gogh was and what made him tick - do check this one out.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher via Netgalley
tl;dr at Overall
Vincent was a turbulent man with a varied, haunted life, a great subject to learn about.
This is primarily aimed at people, who know nothing about van Gogh, I'd assume, as the book is less a serious compilation of his life and more of an illustrated guide to his movements throughout Europe and his rise as an artist.
As someone who knew nothing about the man - I greatly enjoyed reading this and finding out more. If you are mostly familiar with his oil paintings then you'll certainly have a chance to expand your horizons when you look at a plethora of his early sketches and drawings. It's actually easy to trace his growth via the numerous works shown in the book, a big plus for someone who wants to not just find out how van Gogh lived, but also to know more about his style, technique and evolution as a painter.
I wouldn't have minded more extensive information, but what was presented was still sufficient and compelling. Perhaps doubly so owing to the format, every page lined with photos, sketches, letters from family members, and maps that showcase Vincent's travels.
Hopefully some other great painters will get the same treatment, as this was a pleasure to read.
Overall, concise, knowledgable, and pretty book on one of the greatest artists. If you have any interest in learning who van Gogh was and what made him tick - do check this one out.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher via Netgalley