A compelling and authoritative overview of the drawings of Vincent van Gogh one of the most
celebrated and intriguing figures in the history of art. Vincent van Gogh¿s (1853¿1890)
drawings are some of the most familiar and expressive in the history of art. Van Gogh believed
that drawing was the `root of everything¿ and this was reflected in his remarkable output of
over 1 000 works during his short and tragic life many of them personal often lonely
explorations of the emerging modern world. This book is the first comprehensive account to
celebrate the singularity of the artist¿s achievements in this field. Arranged broadly
thematically from drawings of potato harvesters to depictions of knotted poplars pensive
studies from life to a sketch of the famous Yellow House in Arles eminent art historian and
curator Christopher Lloyd encourages readers to consider the artist¿s drawings from a fresh
viewpoint: documenting successes and failures experiments trials and disappointments.
Primarily self-taught Van Gogh¿s approach to drawing was instinctual but he soon recognized
the importance of mastering the grammar of art ¿ anatomy foreshortening perspective ¿ as well
as materials and techniques in order to express his emotional responses to a subject as
vividly as possible. With examples from the artist¿s voluminous and emotionally charged family
correspondence sketchbooks and comparative artworks by the Old Masters and contemporaries
this engaging study outlines why drawing is central to Van Gogh¿s oeuvre and equal to the
intensity and reputation of his paintings. Featuring works from the Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam
and many other important collections in Europe and the US this beautifully illustrated volume
offers an extensive interpretation of the artist¿s drawings beyond what has been published to
date.
