Oddly Engaging

Charles Daubigny was a French painter closely associated with the Barbizon school. This graphic novel is a rather episodic recounting of his life, and most especially of various especially productive periods during his painting career. (The joke here seems to be that the book's narrative is supposed to be Van Gogh's doctor telling Van Gogh stories about Daubigny, whom Van Gogh had always greatly admired. In fact, Van Gogh once visited Daubigny's widow and one of Van Gogh's most successful paintings is of "Daubigny's Garden".)

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the book, although I suppose I expected it would be a dutifully illustrated biography. I was pleasantly surprised to find the book is much more energetic and cheerfully personable than I expected. Daubigny liked and was admired by other Barbizon painters and had a generally happy life. This version of his life, at least and as recounted here, involved a lot of eating, drinking, joking, socializing, and messing about. Cameos by other notable contemporaries, like Corot, add to the fun.

The pleasantly comic, (and deceptively expressive), illustrations, the brief and informal bits of conversation, and the general sense of a happy and accomplished man making great art was a pleasant and rather upbeat diversion and a nice find.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

Daubigny's Garden is a graphic novel biographical collection of different episodes in the life of the painter Charles-François Daubigny. Despite his great influence on many great painters, I was never a great fan of his work. I found the stories a little scattered, and I was not a fan of the illustrations. 

This might be enjoyed by fans of art history, or devoted Daubigny enthusiasts.

Love the artwork in this graphic novel. Nice muted tones and a good story too.