Van Gogh Paintings: The Masterpieces

by Belinda Thomson

A dazzling selection of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, as well as some lesser-known masterpieces, many drawn from the collection of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Nearly 130 years after his death, Vincent van Gogh continues to exert a powerful fascination over viewers and historians. This superb book offers readers a selection of the artist’s most unforgettable canvases, as well as some lesser-known examples, many drawn from the collection of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The volume explores the works in the context of Van Gogh’s short but brilliant career, in which frequent spells of isolation were paired with lively engagement with his peers and the popular ideas of his time. Additionally, Van Gogh’s continuous stream of letters written to family and friends―one of the most important archival resources of nineteenth-century art―provides a narrative thread around which this study develops. In the text, art historian Belinda Thomson considers Van Gogh as a cosmopolitan figure who combined his art experiences and native traditions absorbed in Holland and in Victorian England, and later succeeded in making his mark upon the painting scene in France at one of its richest periods. This book will be a welcome resource for art lovers, offering a different take on one of history’s most interesting artists. 170 color illustrations

Genres: Art

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Andrew H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best introduction to Van Gogh's work. well illustrated and wisely explained.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this volume at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. It has nice big pictures, but gives a quick overview of the artist. Plus it is a good way to remember what we saw. Many of the reproductions are of pictures in the Van Gogh Museum and the Kroller-Mueller Museum, which we also visited. I have a copy of the newest biography of Van Gogh, published earlier this year. I think I will read it in the Fall.

[Michelle]

Large pictures with great color quality

[Lavinia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like all art albums, this book has very clear paintings, relevant to van Gogh's career, but succinct information about the painter is presented to the reader. I've read this in parallel with van Gogh's letters, and the two books complement each other quite well: while the letters are abundant in information, this one is rich in colors and paintings. However, if you are not very familiar with the artist's life, there is little to be found here. This is mostly a book for people who already know his biography, and would just like to be able to browse from time to time his paintings in the comfort of their homes, also acknowledging very briefly the main chapters of his life.

[George Halcyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful overview of Van Gogh’s art.
It’s large and has beautiful scans of his masterpieces.
Good quality paper, large enough book but not too large.

Coffee table book to flip through and admire the beautiful art Mr Gogh painted.

[DonutKnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Van Gogh’s colour combinations are gorgeous! They’re vibrant and quite mesmerising actually ❤️👌

[hannah ⏾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

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