Vincent's Portraits: Paintings and Drawings by van Gogh

by Ralph Skea

An intimate collection of Vincent van Gogh’s portraits and self- portraits―perhaps the work for which he is best known Despite his posthumous fame as a painter of flowers, still lifes, gardens, landscapes, and city scenes, Vincent van Gogh himself believed that his portraits constituted his most important works. Like other post-Impressionists, Van Gogh sought to capture the essential character of his models by means of expressive color and brushwork. Vincent’s Portraits reflects the strong visual impact with which the artist captured the energy of contemporary life. In this dramatic set of portraits created during Van Gogh’s ten-year career, the reader sees his desire to record a number of themes, from the plight of the agricultural workers in his native Brabant and the destitution of prostitutes and their children in urban Europe to the lives of his cosmopolitan acquaintances in Paris, including café owners and art dealers. It was here that he began his remarkable sequence of self- portraits. With reference to Van Gogh’s extensive correspondence, Ralph Skea, who has written a number of books about Van Gogh, elaborates on how the artist chose his subjects as a writer would, and how he felt that his portraits should somehow evoke what he considered to be the spiritual underpinning of human existence. 75+ illustrations in color

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

112 pages, Hardcover

Published April 17, 2018

Reviews

[Carola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Qué familia más linda la de Vincent Van Gogh, apoyado y amado sobre todo por su hermano y hermana. Desconocía que él prefería ser conocido en el mundo artístico solo como "Vincent". Sufría de un trastorno bipolar y sus ataques sicóticos empeoraron a tal punto, mientras residía en Francia, que lo llevaron a cortarse su oreja. A los 37 se suicidó de un disparo en el pecho.

Jamás he visto nada igual, sus cuadros son únicos, mágicos, alegres. Uno de mis pintores favoritos

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yesterday the family went arting: SECCA and Reynolda House in Winston-Salem. The former is showing the works of Lonnie Holley, which are striking juxtapositions of objects which evoke strong emotional responses. Part of the installation includes a video by the artist, and there are extensive notes with most of the works explaining where the materials came from, what they evoked in him as he was creating the piece. It was much more meaningful than just a title and year. Then at Reynolda they were showing works by Dorothea Lange and her contemporaries. Lange apparently kept extensive notes on the subjects of her photographs, with details on the location and circumstance of the photo. Few of the works of her contemporaries had much except brief biographical notes. They were also showing After Documentary, a photography exhibition curated by a Wake Forest art class, and these too had extensive notes, in contrast to their collection of older USian works where the notes were artist years, title, probable year. What I realized was that without context my reaction to works was cursory: pretty or ugly, like it or don't.
Right, well, no surprise that I'm happier with more text, but it was the first time I realized the extent of the difference. Now I want the standard education curriculum to devote more time to cultural surveys. Knowing the circumstances in which an artist created a work illuminate the art, but the arts of the time equally illuminate the history. Despite the drawbacks of aging, I really do appreciate how much more context I acquire every year.
So, there is my context for writing how much I appreciated this brief book. A little background on the artist, his locale, his state of mind, his goals: it was fascinating stuff.

Library copy

[reading is my hustle · Rating 5 out of 5]

context is everything.

[Juliano · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Vincent thought that a portrait painter should empathize with his model’s personality, thereby producing a psychologically astute image”. In Ralph Skea’s Vincent Portraits, Skea offers up a study of Vincent van Gogh’s craft, developing over time. This chronological survey is organised geographically, and illuminates how the different places he lived informed his practice, provided him new sitters, and related to the eventual decline in mental health that characterised the latter portion of Vincent’s short, prolific career. “Vincent created approximately twenty-six of his thirty-nine self-portraits in Paris”; “Vincent's self-portraits are noteworthy for their intensity; they seem to encapsulate the depths of feeling and psychological insights that he pursued in his portraits of others.” These self-portraits are amongst my favourites of Vincent’s works, and capture so much of him and his mind, his fears, and his philosophy in life and in art. “Despite the light colour scheme and his confident stance, his eyes are dark and impassive, providing the only hint of his physical and mental exhaustion at the time of the painting's completion.” As well as reproducing many of his most famous self-portraits, Skea’s book also includes a number of reproductions of portraits of others throughout Vincent’s decade of painting. Standouts include portraits of Alexander Reid, Agostina Segatori, the Postal Officer, Joseph Roulin, Armand Roulin, Eugène Boch (‘The Poet’), Gauguin, Madame Ginoux, Doctor Félix Rey, Trabuc, Doctor Gachet, Marguerite Gachet, Adeline Ravoux, and Pietà (after Delacroix). A beautiful, insightful art book.

[Yomi Olufidipe · Rating 5 out of 5]

“And painted portraits have a life of their ownthat comes from deep in the soul of the painter...”

"Ah, it seems to me more and more that people are the root of everything”

Very lazily I’ll just leave quotes as my review here for now - all I can say is (as you can see by the 5 stars … I truly loved and adored it). Very reminiscent of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s ‘Inner Silence’ Portrait Book where a simple stare says so much about the person and the person painting said thing.

I’m going to cheat again and insert things I wrote in my review of ‘A Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ (SPECIAL FILM BTW)-

“Also Art being such a central theme of the film really made me deep how sort of sexual and emotional someone doing a portrait of you is - like them just staring at every piece of you for hours on end and in a sense you doing the same back really is such a sensual (and in this film) a really beautiful thing.” - AND THIS RINGS TRUE.

Also how GOATED is Sir Van Gogh btw? Donny’s got a 1 of 1 book based on his sketch books and now an even better book just look at his portraits? Like in 37 short years what a catalogue? One of the best ever (if not THE!)

My Three Artistic Superheroes! (Matisse, Picasso & Van Gogh) … Before them it was The Powerpuff Girls (Bubbles, Buttercup & Blossom) and in between them it is Light, Killua & Levi … hmmm …. I wonder who’s next?

[Christa Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although better known for his landscapes and flowers, Van Gogh considered portraits to be his most important work. This book gives a nice overview of the development of painting styles and colors by grouping work chronologically. The work changes depending on Van Gogh's location, his state of mind and the styles that he tries. One thing that stays the same is his ability to capture the essence of his subject. He often paints himself but there are many other models that appear and frequently the same people modeled multiple times. Skea references many sources and provides a nice bibliography for further reading. Photos never really do justice to paintings but this book is nicely done and if you can't see it in person, a decent way to consider the work.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in "preparation" for attending the Van Gogh experience that is happening in my part of the world. I thought that reading about his life would enhance my experience. While I didn't read every word, it's a very well written book and the portraits, of course are front and center. Van Gogh had a sad and interesting life and he was an amazing artist. I recognized a few of the portraits as ones that I had seen years and years ago at my grandparents' house. I never really knew anything about them or thought to ask about their significance but the fact that I remember them over 20 years after I'd last seen them speaks volumes. I plan on returning to this book in the future and reading others by the author.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skea’s series of Van Gogh’s works are quick but informative books. The painting reproductions are gorgeously vibrant, which you aren’t always guaranteed in every art history book, ha! Van Gogh’s portraits are and have always been extremely compelling to me. Not only have I always loved his style, his use of color, and the Japanese influence to his work, but he captures the psychologically state of his subjects. Especially himself, in his own introspective self-portraits. I could read about him all day...

[E L K Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his book, Mr. Skea writes "The most enigmatic apparitions that he painted were his confessional self-portraits."

I truly enjoyed this book very much, it's a very fast reads that looks at Vincent's portraits alone, from his time in Netherlands all the way to his last years in Auvers-sur-Oise. If you want to expand little more on body of work Vincent himself thought was his best and most important work, I would recommend this book. Perfect for beginners who are just diving into the world of art and don't want to start with more complex art books.

[Molsa Roja(s) · Rating 5 out of 5]

És més important sentir que el que sentim. És més important el que fa pensar que el pensem. L’obra de van Gogh fa pensar, fa sentir, i en aquest fabulós recull de retrats es traça una biografia modesta a partir dels retrats que va pintar o dibuixar van Gogh al llarg de la seva vida, biografia artística no perquè tingui per a subjecte d’estudi un artista sinó perquè conté art, en néixer s’acopla indistintament a l’obra del propi pintor, a través de les seves cites i les seves obres.

[Vivian Wiltshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rally enjoyed this book. I am a huge fan of Van Gogh's work and found this little book really interesting. I only complaint would be it did focus mainly on his portraits but I love his landscapes and still life florals better. But still a good read the picture were beautiful. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars!

[Mimi Nakornthap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting informations focusing only on Van Gogh's portraits. Despite the story, I find that the quality of all the images in the book are really really nice and beautiful. Good choice of choosing and the colors are as vibrant as in his real painting. I just want to keep looking at in and wish there are more.

[Tosca Wijns-Van Eeden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful overview of a number of Vincent's portraits! Some that are very unfamiliar and a couple in private possession. High quality pictures make it as if you are in the museum watching them in real life.

[Yang · Rating 4 out of 5]

really educational but a bit flat. there is so much more to vincent than just his portraits but still if you want to focus JUST on his portraits then this is a good book

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book on Van Gogh. Read for Dewey’s 24-hour Readathon.

[rafaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Stacy M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. Easy to view the paintings and get quick descriptions.

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely introduction book about the portraits painted by van Gogh.

[Katie Pfotzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author invites us to call the artist by his first name within the opening pages of this book. From there, the reader is treated to a newfound friendship with Vincent through the portraits he painted of many of the characters that populated his world in the French countryside. Vincent had the sense that everyone and everything was important and therefore beautiful (or maybe vice versa). This was my thousandth book read and I finished reading it on my birthday!

[ash ng · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short biographical overview on the life of Vincent Van Gogh’s and his stylistic shifts during his short-lived career as a post-impressionist painter. Because of his sheer quanitity of work, I enjoyed the specific focus on portraiture and the contextualization of his work using his many letters sent about his travels, relationships and struggles with mental health.