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The Vincent van Gogh Atlas

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Vincent van Gogh lived at an exciting time. The modern world was changing rapidly with the emergence of an extensive railway network in Europe. And Vincent moved with the times!
In The Vincent van Gogh Atlas, we follow Vincent’s route to all the different villages, towns and cities where he lived. We see what the world looked like back in those days: from the peaceful countryside of Brabant and the south of France to the hustle and bustle of big cities such as London and Paris. A rich and varied selection of his work shows how Vincent transformed the world around him into art.

Travel with Vincent on his journey through Europe, to all the places where he lived... and where he became the artist he longed to be.

180 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2015

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Nienke Denekamp

24 books2 followers

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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Dawnie.
1,439 reviews132 followers
November 16, 2016
This book is perfect for anyone that loves either Van Gogh and wants a more details and actual factual history as well as people that's just generally love reading and following along historical facts and family history of people that lived before them.

This book has a fantastic mixture of short but informative text and pictures, both of places that can Gogh lived or visited or found inspiration in a sense well as of his paintings. I loved seeing some of the places that inspired his works and seeing how much or how little he actually changed from what he saw when he decided to paint a specific thing.

I also found it really intersting to learn more about his family and how much or little he had to do with some of his immediate family.

I really enjoyed reading and larking throughout this book, and seeing all the information but tighter so nicely.

I loved the order of this booking, that it went from his birth to his death, so that we could not only see where he went and when and follow along in the why that Van Gogh traveled but also to see the progression and change in the paintings as well as how he himself seemed to ace been behaving.


This is a wondeful book, that I can highly recommend for art lovers, history lovers and everonye that is its curious to learn something new!


Thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the authors for provinding me with a free ecopy in exchange for a free and honest review!
Profile Image for Moira Macfarlane.
866 reviews103 followers
January 21, 2018
This was a real pleasure to read. It takes you along all the places Van Gogh lived during his life and focuses on him as a person but also on the details and spirit of the second half of the 19th century. It is a very visual book with a lot of maps and pictures, all concerning his life and surroundings.

Profile Image for muthuvel.
256 reviews144 followers
December 6, 2016
"I can't do nothing about it if my paintings don't sell. The day will come, though, when people will see that they're worth more than the cost of the paint and my subsistence, very meagre in fact, that we put into them."

These words were spoken by Vincent to his brother Theo which proved to be right. Though Vincent managed to witness his contemporaries appreciate his art works, he didn't live to see the people all over the world admire and appreciate his paintings.

This Book is a real good work from the collections of his paintings, pictures of the various places he lived and about his travels, and letters to his friends and his beloved brother Theo Van Gogh. I loved the illustrations and descriptions of the various places and the circumstances which he tried hard to survive.

"The Sadness Will Last Forever", atleast whenever i happen to hear the name, Vincent Wilhem van Gogh.


I'm grateful to Netgalley and Yale University Press for this free copy for my review.
Profile Image for eyes.2c.
3,114 reviews111 followers
November 15, 2016
Fantastic visual journey!

This is a superb production chronicling Vincent van Gogh's life journey--his early days, the places he lived, his various starts and passions, his communications with his family, his artistic development. An in depth look at the river Vincent's life flowed along.
Van Gogh's story is supported by beautifully constructed pages. Informative maps mark a clear path the most dedicated van Gogh aficionado would love to use for a pilgrimage, if not in actuality, at the very least via the written word, 'travelling in the footsteps" of Vincent van Gogh. Excerpts from letters between Vincent and members of his family are quoted, bringing van Gogh and his family to life. The narrative is accompanied by photographs and postcards from the time. Vincent's sketches and paintings of course occupy a central place.
The layout and supporting content make this a pleasurable book to delve into, investigate from cover to cover, and simply enjoy!

A NetGalley ARC
Profile Image for Thal.
197 reviews19 followers
October 10, 2015
Καθε βιβλιο που με κανει να κλαίω ειναι ξεκάθαρο 5*. Αυτο ηταν και νωρίτερα γιατι ειναι πολυ όμορφα στημένο, με χάρτες, σχεδιαγράμματα και φωτογραφίες και ενα ταιμλαιν που ακολουθεί την πορεία του VVG στην Ευρώπη και στα σπίτια που έζησε. Υπέροχο.
Profile Image for SusanwithaGoodBook.
1,109 reviews2 followers
July 7, 2020
This is a lovely book packed full of fabulous maps, diagrams, photos and info. The text is engaging and fascinating and very well done. I really enjoyed this journey with van Gogh more than I even expected. I purchased this after seeing his work at the MFA in Houston. It looks like a scrapbook so I knew it would be fun, but it was even better than expected.
Profile Image for January Gray.
727 reviews20 followers
May 8, 2018
Very thorough and impressive. I apologize for the delay in reviewing. I had it in my notes that I posted it. This book would make an excellent gift for others.
Profile Image for Kirsten.
1,199 reviews
November 5, 2022
Excellent, balanced and thorough introduction to Vincent Van Gogh’s life and work through the places that he lived. Published by the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam for young readers. Lovely.
Profile Image for Julia.
160 reviews6 followers
December 18, 2018
You like Van Gogh? You don‘t know? You need to read up on his life? You live in the same area he used to live in? Don’t skip this book.
Am sounding like a salesperson, I know, sorry. You won’t regret it though, it is packed with art, maps, snippets of letters, facts, all very digestible and structured. I waited for half a year to get my hands on the library book to finish it, even was checking the shelf once or twice a month (the library irritatingly listed it as “in house” but misplaced it so that the librarians could not find it). Ok, am starting sounding desperate. Just give it a try if you are thinking of it.
Profile Image for Sem.
600 reviews30 followers
November 10, 2016
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
Profile Image for Mandy.
3,623 reviews333 followers
November 10, 2016
Such a beautiful book – a “scrapbook” of Van Gogh’s life illustrated with photos, maps, pictures, postcards, excerpts from his letters and with just the right amount of explanatory text. A real delight, and a book to dip into again and again.
Profile Image for Monica De giudici.
302 reviews16 followers
March 7, 2019
L'idea generale che la gente di solito ha di Van Gogh, mi sembra che si possa riassumere con: "quel pittore che faceva dei dipinti così belli e colorati perché era completamente pazzo e infatti si è pure tagliato un orecchio". Ok.. non proprio eh? ;D


Quel che non si sa è che invece quei dipinti così belli sono il frutto di una vita passata a dipingere e disegnare giorno dopo giorno, sempre... di un continuo e attento studio di tecniche stili e colori... dell'osservazione delle opere dei grandi pittori... e del talento di un uomo curioso che per tutta la sua vita ha continuamente viaggiato per imparare, per vedere nuove città, nuovi musei, nuovi paesaggi.


È anche una persona che è cresciuta vedendo il suo stesso nome su una tomba: quello di suo fratello, nato morto e anche lui chiamato Vincent. Forse anche per questo non si è mai firmato per intero, ma solo, semplicemente Vincent? Fatto sta che quel nome, messo in angolo in tutti i suoi quadri e che a volte aggiunge quel tocco di colore in più che completa l'opera, contribuisce a rendermelo più vicino, una persona vera, in qualche modo ancora viva.

Sembra di essere lì con lui, su una spiaggia francese, a dipingere il mare mosso mentre il vento ci porta granelli di sabbia tra i capelli... e sulla sua tela ;)


Ho visitato il Museo di Van Gogh ad Amsterdam, una bellissima mostra che accompagna di stanza in stanza lungo tutta la vita di Vincent.

Lo stesso fa questo libro, approfondendo e dando forza all'aspetto di Van Gogh come cittadino del mondo. Un atlante dalla Z alla A: da Zundert, in Olanda, dove è nato ad Auvers-sur-Oise, in Francia, dove è morto. Nel mezzo, tra mille foto ed illustrazioni, tutte le case in cui ha vissuto, tutti i posti che ha visto e dipinto, tutte le persone che ha incrociato nel suo cammino.


Molto bello, scorrevole (il testo è in inglese ma leggibilissimo, non credo esista una traduzione in italiano), ricco di immagini, dà molte informazioni e curiosità senza mai appesantirsi. E poi l'idea dell'impostazione "ad atlante" mi è piaciuta molto! Promosso e consigliatissimo! 
Profile Image for Diane.
193 reviews7 followers
August 31, 2018
This is a very engagingly illustrated and manageable introduction to Van Gogh for someone like me who knew virtually nothing about his life. Having just seen the excellent film "Loving Vincent," I wanted to learn more. Hence after reading this fascinating work in one day, I delved into Naifeh and Smith's mammoth biography, "Van Gogh: The Life," hoping to find reinforcement for the notion from the film that he was accidentally shot rather than that he took his own life. I intend to re-read this slim volume now that I can relate so much better to his travels and stages of development. The geographic, cartographic approach is well done and a completely appropriate approach to Vincent and his life and work.
Profile Image for Monica.
477 reviews4 followers
June 24, 2024
Onlangs ben ik in Auvers-sur-Oise geweest en heb daar het graf van Vincent van Gogh en zijn broer Theo bezocht, dat inspireerde mij om zijn levensverhaal weer eens op te halen en ik vond dit boek op mijn luisterboeken app. Ik had er niet veel verwachting van en ben gewoon gaan luisteren. Ik was aangenaam verrast, wat een goed boek!

Het boek geeft een mooi beeld van de persoon Van Gogh en de relatie met zijn familie- en dan met name zijn broer Theo, en de tijd waarin zij leefden. Het verhaal, waarbij je de voetstappen van Van Gogh volgt, zit goed in elkaar en is fijn ingesproken door Job Cohen.
Profile Image for Nazaret.
118 reviews4 followers
September 7, 2021
Un libro maravilloso que recorre la vida y obra de Van Gogh de una forma muy original.

A través de las cartas con su hermano Theo se tiene hoy muchísima información sobre él. Y el representarlo a través de un Atlas me parece una idea genial ya que su vida estuvo llena de cambios continuos.

Lo compré en el Museo Van Gogh de Amsterdam tras mi visita a sus obras. ¡Me encantó la experiencia y el libro!
Profile Image for Stephanie.
502 reviews8 followers
April 22, 2021
This is a visually stunning book. The good assemblage of archival stuff and mementos really enhance the maps and text and make everything pop to life. The “life context” of little things like metal paint tubes and postage added much richness to the biography. Seeing old photos with the paintings they inspired is always a treat too. Could have been longer with more art but still a fantastic work.
Profile Image for Anton Segers.
1,320 reviews20 followers
April 29, 2024
Een biografie van Vincent Van Gogh op basis van alle plaatsen waar hij gewoond heeft. Dat levert wel inzichten op over de eindeloze zoektocht die zijn leven was, over het effect van zijn omgeving op hem.
Vaak te kort en feitelijk, wat wel het voordeel van kernachtigheid oplevert, de zaken voor zichzelf laat spreken.
Profile Image for Florin.
67 reviews
June 30, 2022
Wonderful little discovery, this book (atlas)!

Running along the years lived by Vincent, the story is fluent and the images associated to each place are like windows in time.
9,019 reviews130 followers
November 16, 2016
While this won't surpass any decent biography for many readers, this was just what I wanted. Compared to many galleries, it actually has a lot of original artwork (I loved his rural sketches, made out of just simply pairing grey and brown pencils to evoke the earthy spirit of fish-drying yards, etc), and it has enough simple writing and context to convey just as much information as the wall panels in the best museums could give you. I only needed a potted biography, and this was fine in that regard – I had no idea even that he ever came to London, or that he was so evangelical (for a while). It's a perfectly 'curated' selection of his material, letters, and so on, alongside historical photographs and other finds to put you really in to the pictures of his background, the landscapes he passed through and the people he saw. So while you can study van Gogh to degree level, this GCSE was perfect for my needs. Brilliant.
451 reviews18 followers
November 16, 2016
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Vincent van Gogh, so I was eager to read this book. It's a broad overview of Vincent's life with a focus on the places he lived and traveled to. If you're looking for a biography of Vincent, I would recommend starting elsewhere, but this is a wonderful book if you're looking for a deep dive into the places where Vincent once walked. I have been to France and the Netherlands and going through the book, it was emotional to see the places that I been where places that Vincent had walked so many years before. This would be an excellent coffee table book, especially if you're planning a trip and would like to make a van Gogh pilgrimage.
Profile Image for Alexia Polasky.
Author 6 books29 followers
November 18, 2016
Thank you Netgalley and Yale University Press for the ARC!
This impeccably and thoroughly researched atlas-biography hybrid is easily the best comprehensive work I've read on Vincent van Gogh. The focus isn't the cliché of the unstable, depressed artist who cut off his ear. On the contrary, it portrays him as what he was: an eccentric, misunderstood and sensitive man who never found his place in the world because he was happy being a citizen of Europe; it even feels like a travelogue. Full review on my blog.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Grieve.
Author 2 books6 followers
November 8, 2016
This is a gorgeously illustrated book for anyone interested in the life and work of Vincent van Gogh. It's amazingly detailed, with maps, photographs of places he lived and worked, letters, reminiscences from those who knew him, and of course some of his works. I loved it, and will continue to dip into it for a visual feast.

Review copy provided by the publisher.
Profile Image for Eileen Hall.
1,073 reviews
January 3, 2017
If, like me, you've always wondered where the evocative paintings of van Gogh were set, this atlas pinpoints the areas very nicely.
A useful asset when travelling in France.
Recommended.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Yale University Press via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
Profile Image for Frank Miller.
23 reviews
January 6, 2020
This is a beautiful book. This is more of a biography of Vincent Van Gogh rather than atlas, organized around the places Van Gogh lived.

A beautiful book! Antique maps often feature, but also photos of people and places mentioned in the atlas, pictures of Van Gogh's Paintings and even pictures of letters Vincent sent to his brother Theo.
Profile Image for Tammi Mossman.
32 reviews2 followers
November 3, 2016
This book is amazing -- the layout is perfect with much visual interest and just enough text per page to absorb small amounts of information in brief sittings when I only have a few minutes to browse.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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