Van Gogh - Hardcover

Text: English, French (translation)

Grade 12 Up-- The visuals in these books are brilliant. The objects have a clarity that lift them off the page and make them seem three dimensional. The color paintings glow, and the details of the brush strokes are vivid. The incisive snippets of text equal the graphics. Personal belongings and artists' tools are photographed sharply: eye glasses, correspondence, photographs of relatives, palettes, brushes, and easels. A few photographs of the landscapes are shown for comparison to the canvasses, which are documented in stages from initial sketches to completed works. Several works in each volume are analyzed by closeups of the individual strokes, discussions of organizing principles of the paintings, and a breakdown of the pigments applied. Knowledgeable art enthusiasts will relish the intimacy of the visuals and the lucid writing that lightly touches upon the critical aspects of the works. Novices will hopefully be smitten by these sparkling gems of insight and be inspired to read further. Perspective has the broadest range, documenting four centuries of the scientific study and interpretation of the subject. The 27 mini-chapters have the character of an erudite illustrated dictionary of exceptional focus. Each volume has a location of works on exhibit section. Impressive! --Barbara Peklo Abrahams, Oneida City Schools, Manlius, NY
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.