THE DRAWINGS OF VINCENT VAN GOGH

Vincent van Gogh believed that drawing was the `root of everything`. This was reflected in the remarkable number of more than a thousand graphic works produced by the artist during his short, dramatic life ` many of them personal, often lonely explorations of the emerging modern world, anxieties that still speak to us today.The Drawings of Vincent van Gogh is a comprehensive account celebrating the genius and singularity of the artist`s achievements in this field. Arranged by theme ` from drawings of humble harvesters to beautifully rendered depictions of landscape, pensive life studies to memorable sketches of the famous Yellow House in Arles and other places ` Van Gogh`s works on paper are explored from a fresh perspective by art historian Christopher Lloyd, who records the artist`s successes, failures, experiments, trials and disappointments. Primarily self-taught, Van Gogh approached drawing instinctually, but soon recognized the importance of mastering the grammar of art ` anatomy, modelling, foreshortening, perspective ` as well as materials and techniques, in order to convey his emotional responses to a subject as vividly as possible. Using examples from the artist`s voluminous and highly charged family correspondence, sketchbooks, as well as comparative artworks by Rembrandt, Drer and others, the resulting overview gives us a greater understanding of why drawing is so important within Van Gogh`s unique oeuvre and equals the intensity and reputation of his paintings.