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Martin Bailey (1) (1947–)

Author of The Folio Society Book of the 100 Greatest Paintings

For other authors named Martin Bailey, see the disambiguation page.

19+ Works 833 Members 19 Reviews

Works by Martin Bailey

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Van Gogh and Britain (2019) — Contributor — 27 copies

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A short introduction then a double-page spread for each artist, a full-colour reproduction and one page of commentary by various expert contributors
 
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OldHack | 3 other reviews | Sep 11, 2022 |
Starry Night:Van Gogh At The Asylum
by: Martin Bailey
Quarto Publishing
2018
**** ( 4 stars)
#netgalley #StarryNight

Huge thank you to Netgalley, Martin Bailey and Quarto for sending this e-book for review.

As a Van Gogh fan, I really was impressed and intrigued by this volume of his paintings, while he was at Saint-Paul-du-Mansole (Saint Remy). After cutting off his ear, he was had many breakdowns, landing him here. He used his time and the views from Saint Remy as subjects to paint. What makes this book so interesting, besides the images that are here in color for the first time, are the text that accompany each image. The image and the text, together, helps explain his mental condition and how Van Gogh used this to further his abilities and the colors he chose to use. I totally enjoyed reading the history of "Starry Night" and the "Almond Blossoms". This is a must read for any Van Gogh appreciator, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for an intriguing novel.… (more)
 
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over.the.edge | 4 other reviews | Sep 8, 2022 |
Starry Night by Martin Bailey is a wonderful exploration of this period of Van Gogh's life.

It seems like whenever I reread one of Bailey's books on Van Gogh's time in France (The Sunflowers are Mine, Studio of the South, Starry Night, and Van Gogh's Finale) it becomes my new favorite. I can offer some reasons why this one qualifies.

First, I think this period of his work is my favorite and a beautifully illustrated book like this is sure to appeal to me. Coupled with well-written accounts of his stay and his thoughts makes this both visually and intellectually interesting.

Second, exploring the grounds and his fellow patients through Bailey's research gives wonderful insight into what helped him create such exquisite pieces of art. Plus, it gave me several opportunities to go off on tangents. For example, his painting of the long hallway and his thought that, if the building were someplace else, it would make an ideal exhibit space, made me think about exhibit spaces. I mentally went back and thought about how I work my way through various layouts, more or less structured paths through the exhibits. Yeah, I go off by myself sometimes, but I enjoy it.

Third, and this is really just me being odd, it always brings Don McLean to mind and I sing Vincent for days. Even my dogs get tired of it, but the song is great. Anyway, back to the book.

I would recommend this, as well as Bailey's other books on Van Gogh, to anyone with even a passing interest in him. The illustrations are wonderful and the text brings the life and times of Van Gogh into vivid light.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
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pomo58 | 4 other reviews | Aug 10, 2022 |
I read Martin Bailey’s book Van Gogh’s Finale and was eager to read Starry Night: Van Gogh at the Asylum. Bailey’s engaging book demonstrates how the asylum and its environs impacted Van Gogh’s mental and creative life. Bailey writes that Van Gogh’s year at the asylum “witnessed a remarkable development” in his art, with more muted colors and more energetic, swirling brush strokes. His isolation from other artists allowed him to develop his own style.

The artist created one of the most beloved paintings in the world while during this time–The Starry Night, with its whirling colors of star-filled sky above a village with candlelit windows and a sliver moon shedding its golden light over the hillsides and orchards. I learned that the light area above the horizon was likely the Milky Way. The story of an ink drawing Van Gogh made of the painting, how it was looted during WWII and survived and was discovered and transported to safety, is amazing. Bailey discovered that the artist did not represent the actual sky as it would have been on the day of his painting, but used his imagination and memory to “create a stunning, highly personal vision.”

After Van Gogh’s breakdown that resulted in his mutilating his ear, he needed a safe place to reside. Saint-Paul-de-Mousole, near the town of Saint-Remy-de-Provence, was a better option than most ‘mad houses,’ with beautiful gardens and private rooms. Van Gogh resided there from May 8, 1889 to May 16, 1890. Bailey’s photographs of the hospital today reflect Van Gogh’s portrayal of the building in his time, the long hallways, the arched entry door opening to a fountain.

Bailey researched the patients at the asylum during the artist’s stay, and even met people from the village who had known the artist. He found what was perhaps the almond tree portrayed in the artist’s beautiful painting created for the birth of his brother’s son, and his namesake, Vincent Willem. The work was displayed in the family home while Vincent Willem was growing up.

Vincent Willem believed that his uncle’s breakdowns coincided with his father becoming engaged and starting a family, causing a fear of abandonment in the artist. Theo Van Gogh’s engagement was announced at the time Vincent had his falling out with Gaugin and his breakdown that caused his self-mutilation. The announcement that Theo’s wife Jo was pregnant precipitated another breakdown. Vincent was depended on Theo for art supplies and financial as well as emotional support, and he feared that with a wife and family that support would end.

Van Gogh would have spells of lucidity and productivity punctured by breakdowns and recoveries lasting several weeks. He was given an empty room for painting. When he was well, the doctor allowed him to travel into the countryside to paint. When ill, he tried to kill himself by ingesting his paints and other substances. After a year without a complete cure, Van Gogh left the asylum.

I always appreciate how Bailey enrichens my viewing of Van Gogh’s art. He notes that red pigments have faded and I can imagine the irises with a more violet hue, a pink sky a vivid red.

Many of the paintings were views from his workroom window, which had bars. He could see a wheat field, which he painted many times. Wheatfield in the Rain with its rain depicted by slashes of diagonal paint was inspired by Japanese art. It is a dismal scene.

It is horrifying to learn how many of Van Gogh’s paintings are lost. Portraits he gifted were unappreciated.

Bailey looks at the paintings by theme: enclosed garden, life inside, alienists (fellow patients at the asylum), wheat fields, the stars, the villages and landscape outside of the asylum, olive groves, cypresses, fellow travelers, self portraits, memories of his homeland, the almond blossom.

This October the Detroit Art Institute celebrates being the first American museum to purchase a Van Gogh work with a special exhibit, Van Gogh in America. I have my tickets already! There will be 70 works on exhibit. I can’t wait! And I appreciate Bailey’s books for preparing me to better interpret what I will see.

I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
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nancyadair | 4 other reviews | Aug 5, 2022 |

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