LONDON.- An Artists' Letters (White Lion Publishing | October 1, 2019 | $30) is a treasure trove of 100 carefully selected letters, written by great artists, providing the read with a unique insight into their characters and a glimpse into their lives. Arranged thematically, it includes writings and musings on love, happiness, work, daily life, money, travel and the creative process, and shows us the treasures to be found in a simple letter.

On the theme of friendship, letters provide evidence of a creative community between peers, with support and mutual appreciation that helps to dispel the myth of the artist as solitary genius. Letters between Vincent van Gogh and Pail Gauguin show an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas. Mutual admiration between Claude Monet and Berthe Morisot, and Picasso’s quick notes to Jean Cocteau illustrate their closeness.

Correspondence between artists such as, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Goya, Van Gogh, Picasso, Dali, Kahlo, Warhol and Yayoi Kusama are reproduced, some of which include sketches, drawings and decorative flourishes, with a transcript and some background details. ARTISTS’ LETTERS brings together a collection of treasures found in letters, which in our digital age are an increasingly lost art.

• Letters provide a personal and accessible insight into the lives and work of great artists

• A wide range of nationalities and time periods are included

• All original correspondence reproduced, some of which include sketches and illustrations

Michael Bird is a writer, art historian and radio broadcaster. He has published many books, essays and articles on modern and contemporary art. His books include Sandra Blow (2005), The St Ives Artists: A Biography of Place and Time (2008) and 100 Ideas That Changed Art (2012).