Vincent Van Gogh: A Biography

by Julius Meier-Graefe

Utterly engrossing account of legendary artist’s entire life from birth to his suicide.

Genres: Art, Biography, Nonfiction, History, Audiobook, Biography Memoir, Memoir

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1933

About the author

Julius Meier-Graefe (1867-1935) was a German art critic and novelist. His writings on Impressionism, Post-Impressionism as well as on art of earlier and more recent generations, with his most important contributions translated into French, Russian and English, are considered to have been instrumental for the understanding and the lasting success of these artistic movements.

Reviews

[Eric Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful. The life of Van Gogh as Turgenev or Chekhov might have written it.

[Gauri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this entire book twice and decided to do my book report about non-fiction in middle school on this book since I'd read it anyways. I didn't prepare any script or plan due to poor time management and fear of public speaking. I simply discussed Van Gogh's life chronologically and afterwards, explained the progression or evolution of his art throughout his career -- while staring at one specific person politely nodding as my lifesaver. I got an A!

Unfortunately, there are not many other subjects or speeches I've ever been able to breeze through or ever get an A on ever again. Thank gosh for participation and homework points, am I right?

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quality time with dad :)

Vivid, engaging, and revealing, but also dated, indulgent, and frequently speculative. Meier-Graefe is self-admittedly writing more of a “drama” than an airtight account of Van Gogh’s life, but that disclaimer doesn’t always suffice, and his priorities often feel inconsistent. He also doesn’t care to hold your hand through art history; if a namedrop flies over your head, that’s on you I guess. It’ll happen a lot.

The biography’s easily at its best when Theo’s in the frame, probably because he and Vincent’s letters make for such rich source texts.

Overall, a pretty rewarding read if you have the time/energy to grapple with conjecture. If not, the letters and paintings are enough on their own, just do those.

PS. Goodreads’ list of quotes for this book includes one about madness/genius, but that’s misleading; the author is paraphrasing somebody else in that moment, and he goes on to explicitly debunk the correlation.

[Shayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly a dated text, but the prose is beautiful, if a bit florid. The author does not just really cold facts, but tries to get inside the head of Van Gogh and convey the story through his emotions; his joys and his agonies. It’s not exceedingly thorough, but I enjoyed the portrait this author has painted.

[Nosyba · Rating 5 out of 5]

i dont know why the people in his ara didnot like his unique style in painting......anyway it's recomened to read this book about his life...and get the opportunity to see his great wark

[Clau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though it’s a a bit dated and a lot of research has surfaced from Van Gogh tumultuous life. This books paints a picture of what his life and thoughts might have been like.

“At night he devoured literature as he had devoured light and color in the day. And he did it to balance the strain of the day and to fill his exhausted brain again somehow. “

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book right after attending a Van Gogh exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts. The narrator was excellent. The story was compelling. I enjoyed the narrative non-fiction way the book was presented. What an amazing artist with such a tragic story.

[Catherine Elcik]

Is this fiction? Because the ending seemed like fiction.

[Valerie Verveda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a very novel like story, reads easily, but also a bit complex in its narrative ness. Very picturesque, creates a feeling you are there

[Ray · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked up this book for a second time, 6-1/2 years after first listening to it as an audiobook. My first impression, back in 2017, wasn't very positive. Here's what I said about the book at that time:
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This book was written by German art critic Julius Meier-Graefe, and is probably best appreciated by those who have an initial understanding of the art, the techniques, and the artists who were peers of Vincent van Gogh. To me, the book was a mix of a brief biography of Van Gogh, and a discussion of the evolution of his art. It's not well suited to the audiobook format unless the reader (listener) is familiar with the art and artists mentioned. I got little out of this book.
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Since that initial reading, I've attended the popular international van Gogh interactive / immersive experience, visited a few more museums, looked at several art books, and have learned a lot more about van Gogh and his paintings. This additional background and knowledge made this book a lot more interesting to me the second time around. As a result, I have to change my initial one star review to a 3+ star review.

[Matt St-Onge · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much assumptions for Vincent thoughts and feels. Written like a fable and I almost feel like I know less about him than I did before, if ever possible. I’ll look for another book about him.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally written in German and later translated into English in the 1930s, the biographical prose offered in this book is as captivating as the life story it has captured. I am left wondering why genius in its lifetime is often regarded as enemy, even to itself. Are they the ones who refuse to see reality as it is, or is it that the rest of us are simply incapable of seeing reality as it is?

Following are some of my favorite quotes that I need to visit often as I seek to understand and love well the genius in my life. The very most piercing words being Vincent’s own...

“He took ideas for facts.”

“And if he once took to something, he stuck with it.”

“What was strength in Theo, was weakness in Vincent.”

“He was tempted to assume the brutality they expected him of, and then they were surprised.”

“Simplicity that was not so simple.”

“True visionaries are always blind.”

“If I cease to search or think, then I will be lost indeed. That’s how I see it all. The main thing is to just go on, but you will ask what my real aim is. Well, my aim will assume a more definite shape just as a drawing becomes a sketch, and a sketch a picture.”

“Whether we like it or not, you must join your lot and I mine. We can’t help one another like two people who are on the same side…if we meet at all it would be in a hail of bullets. My bad temper is a bullet, not aimed at you my brother but at the enemy in general in who’s ranks you happen to stand. I don’t blame your offensive superiority as aimed intentionally at me, but you just fire at the barricade and you think you’re doing good service. And I happen to stand behind the barricade….Can you blame the clouds because some of the vehicles have positive and others have negative electricity? Of course men aren’t clouds. Is it your determination or blind destiny which divides us into opposite camps.”

“Art for Vincent was the only means of resolving the tension His mind and soul experienced.”

“It was very jolly to have such a brother for all his rural roughness and crudities were really just super imposed colors which contained the most luminous qualities. Perhaps the public would never recognize him. Perhaps his art would never attain to the statue of a man. Both of these were more than likely, but whatever values he created would outlive any theory of painting- that was certain.”

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

ভ্যান গো !! ভ্যান গো !! ভ্যান গো !! ভ্যান গো !! ভ্যান গো !! ভ্যান গো !! কেঁদে কেঁদে একটা বেদমন্থনসম সমুদ্র ভাসিয়ে দিতে পারি। লোকটাকে বেঁচেছি। And trust me, তার জীবনের প্রত্যেকটি আঙ্গিকে তাঁর সঙ্গে বেঁচেছি। শিল্পী হিসেবে অসামান্য তো বটেই , মানুষ হিসেবেও অসামান্যতম। শিল্পী না হলেও, স্রেফ একজন সাধারণ মানুষ হলেও , ওঁর মনীষা , ওঁর presence , জগতের সর্বকালের সর্বসেরা হতো। পাতি বাঙালিদের বলছি: এক ছটাক বিদ্যাপতির সঙ্গে বঙ্কিমকে মেশান। , তারপর অবন ঠাকুরের খোলা হাওয়ার সঙ্গে পার্সেন্টেজ অনুযায়ী নন্দলাল আর মেঠো রামকিঙ্করকে মেশান। এই সবকিছুর প্রোডাক্ট ভ্যান গো !!

আর্ট হিস্ট্রি জানো অনসূয়া ? সেটা তো জানতে হবে। শিল্পের ইতিহাস শিখতে হবে তো। সেটা একটু পড়াশোনা করো।

আমি আজকে আসি ?

এই বইটা পড়বে পারলে। তার আগে শিল্প নিয়ে একটু পড়াশোনা করো।

Art আর তার ইতিহাস না জানলে সাহিত্যের কিছুই বুঝবে না তুমি।

আজ আসি ?

এখানেই কথা হবে, আগামী দিনে।

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to on Audible. this author and narrator has done the research to seem to truly know the story of van Gogh. she reads the book like a professor lecturing a class and not a storyteller reading a story. pleasant voice and intonation. the primary reason this book bothered me is it read like a storybook by telling details of van goghs encounters with other people and life events as though the author witnessed the actual event. I read books like this knowing there is a large amount of opinion stated as fact mixed in with the actual facts

[Greta · Rating 4 out of 5]

In preparation for our upcoming trip to the The Netherlands and our visit to the Vincent Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, I appreciated Meier-Graefe's biography of this favorite Dutch son. His account is full of warmth between them, a summary of art in the late 19th century and a study of the complex relationships among the artists who had an impact on the Van Gogh brothers. The inclusion of 61 plates of Van Gogh's work is helpful.

[Viki · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up… sad to read about the tortured life Vincent led, but I was so glad to learn about the close relationship between his brother Theo and him.
There was a bit more info about other artists of the time than I was interested in, but it did serve to clarify howVincent craved their approval.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informative but largely speculative bio. Not sure why so much exploration into VG’s thoughts when the correspondence is right there. This is an English translation from German erring on overly descriptive sentences that belie their German origin — surely the original is more efficient?

[Cncschin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not give the in depth personal history of Van Gogh , like Mad Enchantment did with Monet. I found Van Gogh very troubled which got in the way of finding out more about his methods and what really made him tick. I found he was always knocking his own work , but no explanation to why?

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and informative book that shows Vincent as a person, not just a myth or a legend. Probably not necessarily a great choice for those who are not followers of Van Gogh's work. But I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

[Ankit Dua · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was written way back, now there are more findings about what prompted his to commit suicide and many more incidents.. still this book covers most of his feelings and fears.

[Mejix · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining book but this is more fiction than biography.

[Tyler]

0 stars.

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved listening to this book. It's written as a narrative and based mostly on the letters between the Van Gogh brothers. It gave me a real sense of him, his thoughts, his illness, and his world.

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 Stars (Good)

[Gingerholli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Listened on audible. This book was way over my head. Lots of references to other painters, styles etc. I need visuals. So interested in the artists life , will try another bio

[Christa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Speculative but interesting read.

[Hermien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a moving biography concentrating especially on Vincent's state of mind and mental deterioration.

[Ashley Pauls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad to see someone in so much pain. He spoke of his brothers sadness, but they both clearly suffered mental illness and never were truly happy.

[Scott Wild · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite artist of all time. Very interesting read about his complicated life. I gave it three stars because it failed to cover the creation of my all-time favorite painting "Starry Night".

[Wolfie Smoke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really painted a picture of Van Gogh's life
hahahahahaha
ha ha


Ha.