Synopses & Reviews
This graphic biography documents the brief and intense period of creativity Vincent van Gogh (1853andndash;1890) spent in Arles, Provence, in southern France. Here van Gogh dreams of setting up an artistsandrsquo; studioandmdash;a haven where he and his friends can paint together. But attacks of mental illness leave the painter confused and disoriented. When his friend and fellow artist Paul Gauguin refuses to reside permanently at the Yellow House, a distraught van Gogh cuts off part of his own ear. Throughout this period of intense emotion and hardship, Vincentandrsquo;s brother Theo stands by him, offering constant and unconditional support. Writer and illustrator Barbara Stok breathes riveting new life into a fascinating episode of art history, creating a vivid portrait of one of the worldandrsquo;s most beloved and legendary artists.
Praise for Vincent:
andquot;Stylistically, Stok is almost faultless... [Vincent] leaves us aware of a small breath of fresh air blown into the world of art historyandquot;and#160;The Times Literary Supplement
and#160;
andquot;Stok does a brilliant, sympathetic job of picturing the artist, whether jagged with madness or sitting amid the wheat fields and sunflowers of Arlesandquot;and#160;The Guardian
Review
andldquo;Stok has drawn an emotional, informative, and inspirational biography for artists and art lovers everywhere. Fantastic.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;While approximating Van Gogh, she sticks to her own elemental, comic stripandndash;like style that suggests both a simplified Tintin and a more complicated Peanuts.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;This inventive art biography eschews the usual visual cliches and brings its subject into a sharp and sympathetic focus.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Ms. Stokandrsquo;s story of Van Gogh goes to dark places, following the artistandrsquo;s obsessive work ethic and manic outbursts into a clear psychotic episode.andrdquo;
Synopsis
Vincent, award winner Barbara Stok's graphic biography of van Gogh, is "an emotional, informative, and inspirational biography for artists and art lovers everywhere. Fantastic" (Library Journal, Starred Review). This graphic biography documents the brief and intense period of creativity Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) spent in Arles, Provence, in southern France. Here van Gogh dreams of setting up an artists' studio--a haven where he and his friends can paint together. But attacks of mental illness leave the painter confused and disoriented.
When his friend and fellow artist Paul Gauguin refuses to reside permanently at the Yellow House, a distraught van Gogh cuts off part of his own ear. Throughout this period of intense emotion and hardship, Vincent's brother, Theo, stands by him, offering constant and unconditional support. Writer and illustrator Barbara Stok breathes riveting new life into a fascinating episode of art history, creating a vivid portrait of one of the world's most beloved and legendary artists.
"Stylistically, Stok is almost faultless . . . Vincent] leaves us aware of a small breath of fresh air blown into the world of art history." --Times Literary Supplement
"Stok does a brilliant, sympathetic job of picturing the artist, whether jagged with madness or sitting amid the wheat fields and sunflowers of Arles." --Guardian
About the Author
Barbara Stok is well known for her candid autobiographical graphic novels. She was awarded the 2009 Stripschapprijs for her body of comic-book work. In addition to writing for newspapers and magazines, Stok has authored eight books. She lives in the Netherlands.