René Huyghe (1906–1997)

This has got to be one of the most unexpected art books that I’ve ever read. Rather than taking the expected routes of illustrated biography or academic treatise (or some half-baked combination of the two meant to placate the nouveau riche art collector looking to seem “worldly”), author René Huyghe carves another path entirely. Maybe it’s the fact that his writing is presented to us in English as a translation, rather than the original French, but his writing is distinctly poetic and ethereal compared to the contents of other art books that I’ve read. Not that I’m complaining - frankly it’s a breath of fresh air to contemplate Van Gogh’s art alongside an author’s thoughts who are clearly their own, and not lightly understood by the reader. Instead of educating us, Huyghe leans towards an attempt at enlightenment, urging us to see Van Gogh in a new and individual light, even if it does come with the occasional quirked eyebrow and muttered confusion at his occasionally obtuse language. Blame that on the translation, and carry on into a world of the Provençal, the oblique, and possibly even the joyous, as we delve into the life and times of Van Gogh through his many artworks and sketches. Besides the author’s strangely engaging narration, I was impressed with the range of artwork included as well. While it may not always match up with the text, the meandering nature of the author’s thoughts subvert this expected norm, and give us the mental space to intake Van Gogh’s work in a more organic way. Scattering far more rough sketch work throughout, rather than focusing on the “finished” paintings, further emphasised the rawness of Van Gogh as an artist and gives us a more unique perspective than in other books. I fully expected this to be just another “okay” vintage art book, but it turned into a surprisingly deep philosophical exposé that I rather enjoyed getting into.… (más)