Just as we take the train to go to Tarascon or Rouen, we take death to go to a star.

- Vincent to Theo, Sept. 1888

Starry Night: van Gogh at the Asylum is an emotional as well as educational read.

Focusing on Vincent van Gogh's time at the Saint-Paul de Mausole psychiatric hospital in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. This would be where Vincent went in 1889 after the mental crisis that had led to the removal of his ear. Martin Bailey combines extracts from Vincent's letters and writings, as well as other items to explore probably the most infamous time in van Gogh's life.

I liked how the book was laid out, with chapters showcasing letters, paintings and drawings, archived documents from museums, posters and postcards, as well as photographs from the time as well as taken by the author. As with all people who become famous long after their tragic passing? The sight of van Gogh's, thoughts in his own hand further adds to the acknowledgement that an artist whose work has affected millions of people struggled so much with belonging.

Vincent van Gogh created 150 pieces of art in the small room he had at the asylum during his time in Provence when he wasn't walking in the village of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and the foothills of the Alpilles. Many of these as any lover of art, are some of the most famous of his work including of course Starry Night as well as The Iris and The Almond Tree Branch in Bloom which are all breathtaking.

The artwork that's reproduced in the book is vibrant so that you're able to see each brush stroke and the colours have remained bright to this day. Bailey provides us with information about the paintings which are insightful and add to the wonder and understanding of van Gogh's work.

Bailey's dedication to learning about, and in turn educating the reader, about Vincent van Gogh is evident on every page and his research is thorough and it's apparent just how important the artist is to the author (as he is to many). I found it wonderful albeit heartbreaking to not only read more about some of Van Gogh's artwork but also the various mental and physical health conditions that would not impact Van Gogh's life but indirectly those such as his brother Theo who tried everything he could to help his much-loved brother.

To know each letter began My Dear Theo hurts my heart because the love is apparent even when the madness he endured held onto him.

This book's a dedication to a man who deserved more, and in truth to his brother too who loved faithfully until the end.

To know that we get to witness the world through Vincent's eyes is a wonderful thing and I think that the year he was surrounded by the beauty of Provence kept him with his loved ones both family and friends just a little longer. Van Gogh will never be forgotten, but it is work such as this that enables us to know more of the man than his beautiful paintings and sketches.

If ever I wish to time travel it would be to Provence and to simply talk with Vincent because he like so many poets, had a heart and soul that was too fragile and good for this world.

Van Gogh would leave Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in May 1890 and would leave the world July of that year by his own hand.

Vincent van Gogh was 37 years old.

Theo van Gogh would join his brother after pasing away in January 1891 at just 33 years old leaving behind his wife Johanna and son Vincent who was six days from his first birthday.

Empathetic view into the life of Van Gogh, his struggles, his art, and his relationship to his brother. No matter if you're intrigued by the beautiful art itself or the fascinating and at times heartbreaking life of the artist, this book has something for you. A great gift for any art lover.

Another Quarto book about the great master's life. This time we enter the asylum in Saint-Remy where Van Gogh stayed and created some of his most prolific artwork. A difficult read at times but personally anything about the master adds a whole new dimension for me. A personal favorite from Quarto.

I’m not normally a fan of art and I don’t know much about it, but the blurb for this one was very interesting. I didn’t know much about Van Gogh so I’m glad I read this one! It was very interesting and featured a lot of information about what inspired Van Gogh’s paintings, and I learn a lot. I did struggle with some of the terminology and didn’t always understand the descriptions of the art, but this didn’t put me off from reading it. I’m glad that I read this as a physical book instead of a NetGalley e-ARC, as I think the format on a kindle will make it harder to read. I definitely recommend this one and I’m hoping to read more about Van Gogh in the future.

The combination of art and dialogue makes an interesting and enjoyable book. I read the book as an ebook and it was difficult to manuver from text to images. I enjoyed the book and the unique subject matter.
Thank you Martin Bairley, White Lion Publishing, and NetGalley

Beautiful – can’t wait for the hardcover…

I have taken to ebooks in a way I never thought I would. The ‘new book smell’ the feel of the paper on my fingers, it was part and parcel of the experience of reading. I still have bookshelves filled to the limit but my ereader is equally full. Why is this important? Because sometimes, you need that paper copy to get the full effect of the story (or history in this case) being told. Case in point, art, and this book especially…

I am an amateur at life and definitely in art appreciation, but it is easy to see why Vincent Van Gogh appeals to every new generation. In general terms I’ve heard Vincent Van Gogh’s tragic story and definitely seen his work but never better than this author’s take on the subject. Visually, it is stunning, even in e-copy form. The details on the artist’s life were eloquent and seemed to touch what felt like a true representation of him. Melancholy, sad, and beautiful. Highly recommend.

Really really loved this. Being able to see all of Vincent Van Gogh's art.

thank you so much netgalley for the arc of this book.

Well written and full of empathy towards Van Gogh and his illness as well as insight into his relationship with his brother Theo. His art continues to astonish and demonstrate his connection to nature and the world around him.

The file is unviewable, streched in all wrong places and I can't compromise it given it's a book on art and pictures are very important.
I have contacted NetGalley for this, no changes. I'm sorry to leave this as the review but otherwise it affect my score. If book file is fixed and I'll get notification about and then a chance to download - I will fix the review.
Thank you.

Stunning! I’ve always been a Van Gogh fan but this book showed me so much more than I knew. Perfect gift for any art lover.

I thought that this was a really informative book

I love Van Gogh’s artist style and unique way of painting and bringing his images to life.

I think most people that have any bit of knowledge of him will know that he suffered an episode where he chopped off his ear but this book delves into what happened after that.

He was in an asylum for just over 12 months and the book chronicles what happened during that time. He had further mental health episodes but most remarkable for me was the sheer volume of illustrations and paintings that he produced when he was away.

The book is easy to read and I loved the additions of the images that he painted whilst he was being looked after. I thought that it was a fascinating book.

It is 5 stars from me for this one – very highly recommended

This was a great read that I really enjoyed reading. I loved the amount of pictures in this book showing the development of Van Gogh's work during this short period of his life. This included the very famous piece starry night. The author wrote a very fascinating section on what happened to his pen version of this amazing picture during the second World War. It was amazing to see the painter did 2 copies of most paintings especially when he ran out of canvas it was fantastic comparing the differences between the two. This book missed out on the 5th star as there was some repetition of words that started to grate on me causing it to feel slightly disjointed at times but I am still so very glad to have read this book. It is obvious that the author knows lots about this painter and the book was obviously well researched. I had also read the other book by this author dealing with the lead up to his stay in the asylum and his death after his stay there which I definitely suggest to give a read. If you love Van Gogh's art work I definitely recommend you read this book.

So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for bringing us this very interesting book that I struggled to put down. I definitely read it all in one day. I will be looking out for more books by this great author. 

The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog today https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/starry-night-van-gogh-at-the-asylum-by-martin-bailey-quarto-4-stars either under my name or ladyreading365

Great for fans of Van High’s art. You are sure to learn something new about him and his time in a mental health facility. The artworks are beautiful and there’s a great deal of them featured in the book.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley. The book was interesting and kept the readers attention. Provided a lot of material on Van Gogh I did not know. The images in the book were interesting showing how pictures were created. Great read for anyone interested in Van Gough

This book covers Vincent Van Gogh’s time at the St Paul asylum in Provence. A remarkable amount of work was produced in his just over a year stay including his most famous painting Starry Night. Detailing his health, his work and more, this is an informative read with wonderful illustrations.

Huge thank you to netgalley. Martin Bailey and Quarto for sending this e-book for review.
As a Van Gogh fan, I really was intrigued and impressed by this volume of Van Goghs paintings, while he was at Saint-Paul-du-Mansole ( Saint Remy). After slicing off his ear, he had many breakdowns, landing him for stays at Saint Remy. He used his time and the viewsfrom Saint Remy as subjects to paint. What makes this book so interesting is seeing the images in color, for the first time, and the test that accompany each image. The image and text, together, help explain his mental condition and how Van Gogh used this to further his abilities, his use of brush strokes and the colors he chose to use. I totally enjoyed reading this. The history of "Starry Night" and "Almond Blossoms" are captivating, This is a must read for any Van Gogh appreciator, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for an intriguing read.

Starry Night, Martin Bailey, 9/8/2022



This brilliantly researched and fully illustrated book is written about the asylum period of Vincent Van Gogh’s life. Van Gogh spent May 1889 – May 1890 at the asylum Saint-Paul de Mausole located in Saint-Remy de Provence. Van Gogh was known to have untreated “episodes” of debilitating auditory hallucinations. These episodes were so disabling that he cut off one of his ears while afflicted.

Even with his ongoing mental illness, Van Gogh was lucid three-fourths of his time in the asylum. He spent this time painting in an area devoid of other patients painting as a method of coping with the hellish atmosphere in which he lived. Over 150 paintings, including many of his masterpieces, were created during his year in Saint Remy.

Bailey’s in depth research yields never-before-seen medical and other background documents, personal letters, and photographs of the hospital area at that time period. I appreciate this new material as it separates this book from others on the asylum year.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who likes impressionism, art history, or Van Gogh in particular. I will be acquiring a paper copy to better appreciate the details of the illustrations.

Thank you to the author, Martin Bailey, Quarto Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

From May 8 to May 16, 1890, Vincent Van Gogh resided in the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum, which is located close to Saint-Remy-de-Provence. After mutilating his ear, the horrible incident that put a stop to his collaboration with Paul Gaugin in their studio of the South in neighboring Arles, the artist withdrew to this secluded retreat.

This is excellent work. Every biography writer should take this book as an example. Martin Bailey provides a thorough analysis of this significant period in Van Gogh's life. The artist produced over 150 works of art during his stay. The author not only talks about the artist's works but also gives information about the undiagnosed mental and/or physical diseases that guide the artist's life and artistic life. We also learn about the conditions of people who stayed in mental hospitals at the end of the 19th century.

The fact that the book is divided into chapters with a successful systematic makes it easier to read. Letters, paintings, drawings, Van Gogh Museum’s archival documents, posters, postcards, photographs first published taken by the author, and rare and never seen before documents that are used in the book make this reading extremely captivating.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion for providing an ARC of this book to review.

A perfect book for those wanting to know more about Vincent Van Gogh, his life and his art. Despite many people knowing that Van Gogh spent time (a year) in an asylum, not much information has been made available about this time. The author works to correct this with extensive research. Starting with Van Gogh’s life, and the reason he ended up at the asylum, and continuing on with his works while he was there.

Starry night (although the artist never referee to his painting as such) was painted during Van Gogh’s stay in San Remy. There is a very brief chapter dedicated to this painting alone, which may be the lure for most readers, especially those who are only familiar with this paining (and maybe Sunflowers). This particular chapter reveals fascinating insights about this work. Because of the extensive research of the author, we can see how another painting he was working on at the same time influenced this one. We also learn that while many of Van Gogh’s paintings were done at the time of the scene, this one was not, and creative liberties were taken.

While the full title of the book makes it clear this book is not exclusively about Starry Night, I can see some readers only focusing on their and being disappointed that it is not. However, hopefully they stick with the book, to see many other works, photographs, artifacts etc. They will also learn a great deal about the life of the artist, giving these works context.

I am obsessed with two things: book and art. So I welcome any combination of the two. I will be honest - Van Gogh was never my favorite, though I of course can recognize Starry Night anywhere. I ended up being fascinated with the information contained in these pages and could not get enough of it. My new favorite painting is Rest (after Millet). Bravo and Well done!