Daubigny's Garden

by Bruno de Roover

A graphic novel about Charles-François Daubigny, an important precursor of Impressionism.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Art, Nonfiction, History, Biography, Graphic Novels Comics, Ebooks

55 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2016

Reviews

[Akylina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This graphic novel recounts snippets from the life of Charles-François Daubigny (1817-1878), a French painter considered to be the precursor of Impressionism. Unfortunately, I didn't like the art style at all - both the art and the dialogue seemed too childish and not very refined. The stories themselves were okay, some rather funny while others rather boring. Overall it was an alright graphic novel which might appeal to Daubigny's fans, but may pass as indifferent to those who are unfamiliar with the painter.

[Mips · Rating 3 out of 5]

met ***** voor de erg mooie cover!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite charming. At first, you do not think the artwork will work with the story, but it does. It is not a blow by blow of Daubigny's life, but using the frame of Van Gogh, explores the basic details of it.

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for a *life of the artist* graphic novel. I'll read any one I find. I think I would have enjoyed this one more if I'd known something of the artist beforehand.

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oddly Engaging

Charles Daubigny was a French painter closely associated with the Barbizon school. This graphic novel is a rather episodic recounting of his life, and most especially of various especially productive periods during his painting career. (The joke here seems to be that the book's narrative is supposed to be Van Gogh's doctor telling Van Gogh stories about Daubigny, whom Van Gogh had always greatly admired. In fact, Van Gogh once visited Daubigny's widow and one of Van Gogh's most successful paintings is of "Daubigny's Garden".)

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the book, although I suppose I expected it would be a dutifully illustrated biography. I was pleasantly surprised to find the book is much more energetic and cheerfully personable than I expected. Daubigny liked and was admired by other Barbizon painters and had a generally happy life. This version of his life, at least and as recounted here, involved a lot of eating, drinking, joking, socializing, and messing about. Cameos by other notable contemporaries, like Corot, add to the fun.

The pleasantly comic, (and deceptively expressive), illustrations, the brief and informal bits of conversation, and the general sense of a happy and accomplished man making great art was a pleasant and rather upbeat diversion and a nice find.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Daubigny's Garden' by Bruno De Roover with art by Luc Cromheecke tells the story of Charles-François Daubigny in a very light and tongue in cheek style.

The framing story is about Van Gogh's visit to his doctor. The doctor tells him stories about Daubigny, but Van Gogh was influenced by Daubigny (as were other painters like Monet), and Daubigny is considered to be a precursor to the Impressionistic style. He liked to paint en plein air, and that's mostly what the book covers. It also seems to be a lot about Daubigny trying to paint and being distracted by friends, patrons, and nature. The stories are a series of letters, but I don't know if these are actual excerpts or just done in the style.

It's hard to figure out what this book is supposed to be. It's done in a very cartoony style of story and art. The reader who is new to Daubigney will not learn a lot about his work or influence. And yet, I found that I really had a good time with it. The style is tongue-in-cheek, and that's refreshing for a book about artists from this period.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have only recently started reading graphic novels and I am particularly interested in the art of the drawings. This book was ideal in that respect as it is a beautifully drawn book about a French artist, Charles Daubigny, who was a precursor of impressionism.

The book has several little vignettes of episodes in Daubigny's life and I found the work full of depth, humour and pathos. I went from thinking what an idiot because of his attitude to money and his wife, to thinking what a dedicated artist because of his attitude to getting just the right view for the right painting.

I like the drawing style. It seems cartoonish or quickly drawn when you first look but it bears a good second glance to see all the detail and all the emotion in each little square. I also like the detail on the small drawings which introduced each separate story. We also have fleeting visits from Vincent Van Gogh who did a painting of Daubigny's Garden.

Recommended for anyone interested in French art and for young people to encourage them to see beyond manga/fantasy style when thinking about drawing.

I was given a free copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

[Asera · Rating 3 out of 5]

--I read this book from NetGalley UK in exchange for a fair review.--

A graphic novel Charles-François Daubigny who is an important precursor of Impressionism. Targeted at audiences of all-ages probably is the reason behind the script. I admired the art (hence the 3-star rating) but the story not very much. The use of cursive font in a speech bubble also made it difficult for me to read. I had to decipher it before going on to the next panel. Might be a good choice for young children to spark their interest in art.

[Critterbee❇ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daubigny's Garden is a graphic novel biographical collection of different episodes in the life of the painter Charles-François Daubigny. Despite his great influence on many great painters, I was never a great fan of his work. I found the stories a little scattered, and I was not a fan of the illustrations.

This might be enjoyed by fans of art history, or devoted Daubigny enthusiasts.

*eARC Netgalley*

[Emma Ferrier · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read about the life of Charles Daubigny. I liked the artwork and the fact that it involves Van Gogh who made three paintings with the same title of this graphic novel. If you're interested in art then you'll probably enjoy this - even if you don't care for Daubigny the art is lovely. This is also a good read for people who're just starting out with graphic novels or who want to read more non-fic/educational type books but struggle when they're just big chunks of text. Funnily enough, I actually own a graphic novel called Vincent, which is about Van Gogh and I don't know why I've put off reading it for so long but having read this I am definitely keen to read that one! (Please tell me any biographical/non-fic graphic novels you love so I can buy even more books, thanks!)

[Elia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vincent Van Gogh painted a series of three paintings called Daubigny's garden. Daubigny was one of Van Gogh's heroes, and one of the originators of the impressionist movement, before it even had a name. This adorable little graphic novel tells the story of Daubigny's life from his birth through to his death and how he came about his inspirations.

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm all for a good biography from the art world, but this isn't one – it's supposed to be about a guy van Gogh looked up to, but it's done in such a trashily whimsical way, and there's so much of a disconnect between the reader and the man's art that you can finish this without a blind clue as to what he painted. Pretty much useless, however pretty (in a childish way) it might be. DNF.

[Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully drawn and colored, the novel follows Daubigny's artistic career with a lot of joy and humor. The art highlights the beauty (and sometimes hilarity) of the countryside. A delight to read and spend some time in the lush, green pages.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute overview of the life of French painter Charles-Francois Daubigny.

[AprilEhrig · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the idea of this graphic novel. I wish it was a bit more developed. Deeper dialogue etc.

[Kyle Berk]

Funny cartoons within the artists life. Very much directed for children but it’s brilliant at that. The art style is charming and the life of an artist a fascinating premise.

[Mahatma · Rating 3 out of 5]

De tekeningen zijn niet mijn ding, de kolder evenmin, maar de sfeer klopt wel.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daubigny's Garden by Bruno de Rover is a quick and engaging look at the life of Charles-François Daubigny, a lesser-known but influential figure in pre-Impressionism. The artwork is beautifully rendered and the connection to Van Gogh, who famously painted three works titled Daubigny's Garden, adds an extra layer of interest for art lovers. While the story only provides an overview of Daubigny’s life and legacy, it works well as an entry point for readers new to art history or graphic novels. Overall, even if you're not especially drawn to Daubigny himself, the art alone makes this worth flipping through. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Alex Sarll]

A graphic biography of the proto-Impressionist. In its favour, it doesn't try to spice up what seems to have been a pleasantly uneventful sort of life - boozing, painting, boating, and various combinations of the three. And the landscapes are gorgeous. But the people, and even the animals, are drawn in a fashion suggesting an editorial cartoon or a lesser Viz strip, which for me felt like an odd fit with the mood of everything else.

(Netgalley ARC)