Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night [Hardcover]

Sjaar van Heugten (Author), Joachim Pissarro (Author), Chris Stolwijk (Author), Vincent van Gogh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2008

Throughout his career, Vincent van Gogh attempted the paradoxical task of representing night through color and tonality. His procedure followed the trend set by the Impressionists of "translating" visual light effects with various color combinations, yet this goal was grafted onto his desire to interweave the visual and the metaphorical in order to produce fresh and original works of art. These different artistic concerns found themselves powerfully bound together in Van Gogh's nocturnal and twilight paintings and drawings. This illuminating volume, published to accompany the first exhibition to focus on this aspect of Van Gogh's career, presents new insight on Van Gogh's depictions of night landscapes, interior scenes and the effects of both artificial and natural light on their surroundings. Representing all periods of the artist's career, this volume features more than 100 images of superlative quality, including large reproductions of works by Van Gogh, details of iconic paintings and images of works by other artists that were important to the development of Van Gogh's oeuvre. Essays by the exhibition organizers provide historical and personal contexts for better understanding the artist's motives and offer in-depth studies of the technical and stylistic aspects of Van Gogh's work.
Vincent van Gogh was born in 1853 in The Netherlands. His career as an artist lasted only 10 years, but he produced almost 2,000 paintings and works on paper during this brief period, many of them described or sketched in his extensive correspondence with his brother Theo. Van Gogh is most celebrated for his bold use of color and expressive painting technique. He spent his last years in the south of France, where he painted many of his most famous works. He died in Auvers-sur-Oise, just north of Paris, on July 29, 1890.

Editorial Reviews

Review

It provides a view of the tenderness, urgency and brilliance at the core of his art, as well as the openness to nature that set it aflame. --Roberta Smith, The New York Times

It provides a view of the tenderness, urgency and brilliance at the core of his art, as well as the openness to nature that set it aflame. --Roberta Smith, The New York Times

Review

"Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night" at the Museum of Modern Art should be a revelation.... in exploring how he used color to convey the effects of darkness onto a canvas it offers insights into a new dimension of his genius.

"Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night" at the Museum of Modern Art should be a revelation.... in exploring how he used color to convey the effects of darkness onto a canvas it offers insights into a new dimension of his genius.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: The Museum of Modern Art, New York; First Published edition (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870707361
• ISBN-13: 978-0870707360
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #358,334 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #71 in Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Post-Impressionism

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sacred beauty in the night, December 14, 2008

By 

Buffy "Buffy" (Wayne NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night (Hardcover)

Having seen the MOMA exhibit myself several times, I couldn't help myself from respectfully putting another point of view out there after reading the two reviews that seem to say that the theme of Van Gogh's night paintings was weak or contrived. I know the reviewers are not questioning the works themselves, but the exhibit on which the book is based, so if you like Van Gogh you are probably looking to see if this specific interpretation from MOMA is worthwhile. It is. I found it very illuminating and fail to see how one couldn't come to the conclusion that the night paintings were core to how Van Gogh saw his world. It seems cynical to put forth that it was just a random collection of "some paintings he did at night". I wish that those of you who were not able to see this wonderful exhibit could have felt the quiet magic that leaped off of these paintings, and the way they were grouped together created a cohesive theme and mood. The Potato Eaters, the Dancehall in Arles, the outdoor scenes, all describe a world that couldn't be seen the same way under the brightness of the sun. The few daytime paintings provided contrast and insight into a greater whole about his life and work, and why/how he was painting the way he did. I almost felt like deleting this review because I can't possibly describe the way I felt when I connected with these night moods, and the person who channeled them. But I couldn't let this book sit here with a 2-star review because with all the various offerings of Van Gogh books out there, it would be a shame to miss out on a wonderful way of looking at him. In lieu of a MOMA visit, then, this book is an excellent choice.

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Just for the sake of the reproductions, September 22, 2008

By 

Claude Reich (Florianopolis, Brazil and Paris, France) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night (Hardcover)

I cannot help thinking, when opening this catalogue for the latest Van Gogh show at Moma, that the only reason for the museum to mount such a show is to be able to make some more money at its bookshop and at its ticket counter.

Granted, the reproductions of Van Gogh's night paintings (e.g. The famous Starry Night, Gauguin's Chair, the Café at Arles,the Starry Night on the Rhone, etc) are gorgeous, but why choose such an artificial and arbitrary theme? Many a painter painted night scenes or landscapes, before and after Van Gogh, and the paintings depicted here are masterpieces not because of the fact that they are night scenes, but because of Van Gogh's genius. There is no real connection between them: what is there in common between the early "Potato Eaters" and the late "Starry Night"? The fact that they both depict night scenes does not justify a whole book on the theme. Next time, will it be "Van Gogh and the colors of day"?

The text, somewhat pompous and vacuous, does not really alter this initial impression. I would have loved to see the exhibition for the sake of the paintings (so many major paintings are seldom seen together, especially the two starry nights), but the book itself does not add anything of substance to the already extensive literature on Van Gogh. I'd rather read Van Gogh's much more illuminating own letters to his brother Theo...

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Barely Three Stars, October 5, 2008

By 

Dave Macfarlane "dmac" (Carlsbad, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night (Hardcover)

I have to agree with the previous reviewers comments about the Van Gogh exhibit he was unfortunately unable to attend. I just came from the MOMA today, and it was indeed remarkable to have so many of the artist's works in a single show.

That said, I would also concur that the central theme of the show is a bit contrived. It seems to be organized around a few comments Van Gogh made to his brother Theo (the exhibit includes multiple letters the artist wrote to his closest sibling) about effectively capturing the beauty of the night sky through artistic method. Beyond the two Starry Night works, the remaining pieces displayed are less on-point with regard to the general theme. However, so much Van Gogh in one place is truly rewarding. I can't complain about the exhibit.

I am admittedly not trained in art in any way, so I'm left with what I've learned through some undergraduate classes and auto-didactic energies. Having said that, the value of the book for those who have not attended the exhibit may be limited with a couple of exceptions: The MOMA exhibit very effectively displays Van Gogh's progression through the late 1880s from work that lacks distinctive quality to pieces like the Starry Night works that scream his name. Also, the book breaks down Van Gogh's work by having numerous curators, educators, and artists evaluate his life and productivity. The commentary is doubtless not groundbreaking, but I found it interesting for someone who is not steeped in artistic technique or history.