Van Gogh and the Post-Impressionists for Kids

Their Lives and Ideas, 21 Activities

By Carol Sabbeth

Vincent van Gogh’s admiration for and departure from Impressionism and his relationships with the other enthusiastic, like-minded artists who ultimately formed the Post-Impressionist movement are explained and explored in this collection of art activities for kids. Debunking the persistent stereotype of the mad pauper who cut off his ear, van Gogh is revealed as the serious boy who loved nature and reading and spoke four languages; the young man who took great satisfaction in the study of art, his successful career as a gallery salesman, and the “brotherhood of artists” he helped to create; and the increasingly troubled and ill man who cared deeply for family and friends and tried in vain to recover. Through a series of fun and creative projects, such as a Starry Night Peep Box, a Pointillist Sailboat, and a Japanese Fold-out Album, kids will be exposed to such art as van Gogh’s vibrant landscapes, Paul Signac’s Mediterranean Sea images in dazzling dots, and Paul Gauguin’s tropical landscapes in unnatural colors. Aspiring young artists and history buffs will learn whether or not these famous painters always got along, how they helped each other in the process, and what made Post-Impressionist art unlike anything ever painted.