Vincent Van Gogh, Painted with Words: The Letters to Emile Bernard

by Leo Jansen, Hans Luitjen, Nienke Bakker

This important, groundbreaking publication contains the illustrated letters between two great modern artists–Vincent van Gogh and Émile Bernard. The original letters were previously in private hands and have not been seen for approximately seventy years. Here they are published in association with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and an exhibit at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York. In addition to the letters, the book also includes paintings, photographs, and drawings by both artists, as well as works by artists of the period, such as Paul Gauguin and Jean-François Millet. These letters, written between 1887 and 1889, are among the most important and relevant sources of insight into van Gogh’s life and art. They bridge the time when van Gogh was living and working in Paris, where he painted most of his self-portraits (mainly because he was unable to afford models), to the small town of Arles, in Provence. Here he adopted new types of compositions and developed new ideas about color–all of which he describes in detail in letters to his friend and fellow painter Bernard. Only a year later, in July 1890, van Gogh died, at the age of thirty-seven. The authors have carefully placed each letter in context of relevant events and have written authoritative commentaries on the content of the letters.

Genres: Art

384 pages, Hardcover

First published September 18, 2007

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only reason I would not bring this to a desert island is that it is too heavy and too beautiful to be presented to the elements. Although it really looks like a coffee table book you put out to impress people and never look at again, there is so much n here: from full color plates of Van Gogh's letters to French transcriptions and English translations of these letters, to amazingly comprehensive annotations and commentary that comprise more than a plain ol' biography could ever tell you.

[Ellin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It's so beautifully done. In addition to the 22 fascinating letters Vincent wrote to his friend Emile Bernard (here in both French and English), there are drawings and color plates and references and annotations that help explain the letters.

[Muhye]

an amazing artist who holds a common human worries that we all hold in us. This book teaches us more about the artist and his long suffering, which allows a better understanding of his paintings.

[Lisa Dibbern · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read letters online http://vangoghletters.org/vg/letters....

[Nadin Doughem]

Van Gogh: Painted With Words (Documentary) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGvbk...

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is reviewed jointly with Van Gogh’s Letters, which concentrates on his letters to his brother Theo, at:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...