My Friend Van Gogh

An intimate testament to the power of friendship between two creative forcesavailable again in English after more than a century.

I exaggerate, I sometimes make changes to the subject, but I still dont invent the whole of painting; on the contrary, I find it ready-made, but to be untangled, in the real world. Vincent van Gogh

The painter and poet Émile Bernards firsthand account of the beloved Dutch painter Vincent van Goghs life offers a close perspective into the difficulties the artist faced. First published in French in 1911, and presented here in English for the first time, Bernard details van Goghs approach to painting, his tools, his style, his love of the medium. Moreover, he chronicles his attempts to have van Goghs work recognized after his death, a sign of a true friend. Shedding light on the artistic community they were part of, Bernard also discusses notable figures such as Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin, and Émile Zola, in his storied account of his friends life and work.

Letters written by van Gogh to a young Bernard, some of which are included in this volume, further the import of the friendship between the two men. Van Goghs words of advice to Bernard as well as ruminations on his own practice, inspirations, and creative struggles are revealed in these pages.

Brought together and introduced by preeminent van Gogh scholar Martin Bailey, these texts present a sensitive and discerning portrait of van Gogh that goes beyond his reputation as a troubled genius. See more