This important publication accompanies the first ever exhibition devoted to Vincent
van Gogh's self-portraits across his entire career. The exhibition at the Courtauld
Gallery and accompanying catalogue feature world-famous and lesser known works
from the great artist.
The myth of Van Gogh today is linked as much to his extraordinary life as it is to his stunning paintings. His biography has often shaped the way that his self-portraits have been (mis)understood. Van Gogh. Self-Portraits reconsiders this aspect of his production and places the artist's self-representation in context to reveal the role it plays in his oeuvre. It also explores the power and profound emotion of these highly personal paintings.
Van Gogh. Self-Portraits is the first time this theme has been exclusively addressed.
Self-portraits painted during Van Gogh's time in Paris (February 1886 - February 1888)
have been the subject of two exhibitions (in 1960 at Marlborough Fine Arts in London
and in 1995 at the Kunsthalle in Hamburg) but never has the full chronological range
been explored. The exhibition at The Courtauld Gallery features paintings from both the Parisian and Provençal periods. It brings together half of Van Gogh's thirty-five known self-portraits to examine the ways the artist approached this particular subject-matter. On a practical level, painting himself provided Van Gogh with the cheapest and most patient of models and represented an important conduit for stylistic experimentation. He also used self-portraiture as an homage to his illustrious Dutch predecessor Rembrandt, as well as a way of fashioning his own identity and presenting himself to the outside world.
Of particular interest is the striking way the evolution of Van Gogh's self-representation
over the short years of his artistic activity can be seen as a microcosm of his development
as a painter.
In addition to the world-famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear in The Courtauld's
collection, the exhibition showcases a group of major masterpieces brought together
from international collections, including the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the
Musée d'Orsay in Paris, the Art Institute of Chicago and the National Gallery of Art in
Washington, D.C. among others. This beautifully illustrated catalogue includes detailed entries on each work, an appendix illustrating all of Van Gogh's self-portraits and three insightful essays on the theme.
Starry Night is a fascinating, fully illustrated account of Van Gogh's time at the asylum in Saint-Remy, during which he created some of his most iconic pieces of art.
Despite the challenges of ill health and asylum life, Van Gogh continued to produce a series of masterpieces - cypresses, wheatfields, olive groves and sunsets during his time there. This fascinating and insightful work from arts journalist and Van Gogh specialist Martin Bailey examines his time there, from the struggles that sent him to the asylum, to the brilliant creative inspiration that he found during his time here.
He wrote very little about the asylum in letters to his brother Theo, so this book sets out to give an impression of daily life behind the walls of the asylum of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole and looks at Van Gogh through fresh eyes, with newly discovered material.
An essential insight into the mind of a flawed genius, Starry Night is indispensable for those who wish to understand the life of one of the most talented and brilliant artists to have put paintbrush to canvas.
Ce livre en anglais réédité ici en format broché raconte la période de Vincent Van Gogh à Arles en 1888-89, considérée comme l'apogée de sa créativité. Il apporte un point de vue nouveau sur cet artiste légendaire, rend compte des 8 mois passés à Arles et de sa collaboration avec Gauguin.
Ce livre en anglais raconte la période de Vincent Van Gogh à Arles en 1888-89, considérée comme l'apogée de sa créativité. Il apporte un point de vue nouveau sur cet artiste légendaire, rend compte des 8 mois passés à Arles et de sa collaboration avec Gauguin.
