Yellow House Vincent van Gogh

Discover how artists work and share ideas

Living alone in the south of France, Vincent van Gogh missed the company of other painters. Hoping to attract artists to Arles, where he was staying, van Gogh invited Paul Gauguin to come live with him in his Yellow House. For two months, in the fall of 1888, the two men painted side by side.

However, the artists set about their work in very different ways. Vincent painted what he saw around him; Paul painted from his memory and imagination. Vincent painted quickly, while Paul often worked on canvases over a period of time.

The Yellow House, published in association with the Art Institute of Chicago, is a thought-provoking story about how artists generate and share ideas and how they work. Along with reproductions of actual paintings by van Gogh and Gauguin, the rich and lively illustrations by Jos. A. Smith bring to life the history of two artists at work.

Gr 2-5-For a brief period in 1888, two of the world's greatest artists lived and worked together in Arles, in southern France. Though only lasting about eight weeks, this tumultuous period and relationship influenced the work of both men. Rubin does an excellent job of contrasting their two styles (and temperaments) and clearly describes how differently each one treated the same subject. The illustrations include reproductions of their paintings and excellent pictures of the men at work and home. The artwork isn't captioned, so careful looking and reading of the text is necessary for someone unfamiliar with these artists to determine who painted what. This book provides an excellent introduction to the study of these painters and their styles. It was produced in conjunction with the Art Institute of Chicago, which hosted the exhibition "Van Gogh and Gauguin: The Studio of the South," and includes brief biographies.

Robin L. Gibson, Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OH

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

This intriguing introduction to two esteemed painters, published in association with the Art Institute of Chicago, spans two months at the end of 1888, when Gauguin accepted van Gogh's invitation to live and work at his yellow house in Arles. Laced with quotes from letters the artists wrote to others, Rubin's (Margaret Bourke-White) narrative underscores the contrasts between the duo's living and painting habits. For van Gogh, "Thick swirls of strong colors expressed his feelings his love of nature, his joy in painting," while Gauguin "painted more slowly.... He spread the paints smoothly in careful shapes." Van Gogh painted from nature, Gauguin "from his imagination feelings, fantasies, and dreams." The author's incisive, accessible analysis of some of the paintings created during their time together accompanies crisp reproductions of their work. Smith's (Circus Train) lifelike watercolor and gouache portraits effectively convey the distinctive characteristics of each man as well as the particulars of the setting and era. Sadly, their constant bickering, according to the author, eventually culminated in a quarrel that ended with van Gogh cutting off part of his own ear and precipitated Gauguin's departure from Arles. Rubin concludes with concise biographical sketches of each artist. This appealing volume will likely spark an interest in the artists' complete works. Ages 5-9.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Ages 5-8. This handsome picture book, published in association with the Art Institute of Chicago, focuses on the two months in 1888 that Gauguin shared van Gogh's studio in the south of France. Rubin's elegant, simple text offers plenty of biographical detail, with more information in concluding page-length biographies. The more sensational stories, such as van Gogh's ear incident, are covered with tact and restraint. But the focus is really on the art. Juxtaposed images showing both artists' interpretations of the same subject offer a basic introduction to the artists' styles, techniques, and mutual influences. Best of all are Rubin's wonderfully accessible observations ("The picture has a mysterious mood. . . . A large green bush seems to have a face"), which will encourage kids to really look at the works and find their own connections with the images. A good introduction to the artists and to visual art in general. Gillian Engberg
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