The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Provence

by Martin Gayford

Overview

From October to December of 1888, Paul Gauguin shared a yellow house in the south of France with Vincent van Gogh. They were the odd couple of the art world — one calm, the other volatile — and the denouement of their living arrangement was explosive. Making use of new evidence and Van Gogh’s voluminous correspondence, Martin Gayford describes not only how these two hallowed artists painted and exchanged ideas, but also the texture of their everyday lives. Gayford also makes a persuasive analysis of Van Gogh’s mental illness — the probable bipolar affliction that led him to commit suicide at the age of thirty-seven. The Yellow House is a singular biographical work, as dramatic and vibrant as the work of these brilliant artists.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780618990580
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/24/2008
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	164,879
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.81(d)

About the Author

Martin Gayford was educated at Cambridge University and the Courtauld Institute of the University of London. He is the coeditor of The Grove Book of Art Writing and was the chief art critic for Bloomberg Europe. Gayford lives in Cambridge, England.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations     ix
Floor Plan of the Yellow House     xii
The Arrival: October 23, 1888     1
Beginning and Carrying On: October 24-28     26
Lessons among the Tombs: October 28-November 4     57
Collaboration: November 5-10     91
Perilous Memories: November 11-14     118
Divisions: November 15-23     142
Musicians in Color: November 23-December 4     179
Painting a Family: November 23-December 4     195
Portrait of the Artist: December 4-15     230
Looking at Art: December 16-19     252
The Crisis: December 22-25     267
Aftermath: December 26, 2005     287
Notes on Sources     315
Selected Bibliography     322
Picture Credits     326
Acknowledgments     328
Index     330

Editorial Reviews

Offers fascinating interpretations of the work that came out of the short, stormy conjunction of their lives.” – Entertainment Weekly “Gives the reader renewed appreciation for the darkness of Van Gogh's mental state and the brilliance of his artistic achievement.” – Chicago Tribune “Informative and entertaining.” – New Yorker “Brings fresh insights into the personalities and work of this odd couple of art.” – Los Angeles Times   —

From the Publisher