One of
the most productive periods of Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh’s life was the
time he spent in the south of France. He’d hoped to establish a community of
artists in the town of Arles with his friend, Paul Gauguin. Following an absinthe-fuelled
argument with Gauguin, van Gogh sliced off his left earlobe with a razor blade.
He then sought refuge from his inner demons at Saint
Paul de Mausole Monastery in St. Rémy de Provence.
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Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, Vincent van Gogh (1889)
Courtauld Gallery, London |
In the year between May 1889 and May 1890, van Gogh produced 143 paintings at the psychiatric hospital Saint Paul de Mausole.
Reproductions of some
of these paintings are displayed along a walkway leading to the hospital.
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| Saint Paul de Mausole, St. Rémy de Provence |
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| Garden Walkway |
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| Hospital at St. Rémy de Provence, Vincent van Gogh (1889) |
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| Garden of Saint Paul Hospital, Vincent van Gogh (1889) |
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| Irises, Vincent van Gogh (1889) |
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| Self-Portrait, Vincent van Gogh (1889) |
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| Garden of Saint Paul Hospital, Vincent van Gogh (1889) |
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| Statue of Vincent van Gogh |
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| First Steps (After Millet), Vincent van Gogh (1890) |
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| The Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh (1889) |
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| Cloister of Saint Paul de Mausole |
A room
similar to one occupied by van Gogh overlooks a small garden behind the
monastery.
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| Recreation of van Gogh's Room |
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| Window Overlooking the Lavender Garden |
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| Bedroom in Arles, Vincent van Gogh (1889) |
More
reproductions of van Gogh's paintings line one side of the garden where rows of lavender and bright red
poppies bloom.
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| The Siesta (After Millet), Vincent van Gogh (1889-90) |
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| Wheat Fields in a Mountainous Landscape, Vincent van Gogh (1889) |
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| Olive Orchard, Vincent van Gogh (1889) |
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| Blossoming Almond Tree, Vincent van Gogh (1890) |
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| Lavender Garden |
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| Poppies in Bloom |
None of van Gogh’s work remains in Provence but I saw two of the paintings from his
time in St. Rémy at the National Gallery in London last
year: Long Grass with Butterflies and Wheat Field with
Cypresses.
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Long Grass with Butterflies, Vincent van Gogh (1890)
National Gallery, London |
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Wheat Field with Cypresses, Vincent van Gogh (1889)
National Gallery, London |
The National Gallery is also home to one of van Gogh's famous Sunflowers, which he painted in Arles to decorate a room for his guest, Paul Gauguin.
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Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh (1888)
National Gallery, London |
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Peach Trees in Blossom, Vincent van Gogh (1889)
Courtauld Gallery, London |
Saint Paul de Mausole continues to
operate as a psychiatric hospital today.
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| Theo's Letter to Vincent, Ossip Zadkine |
I finally got to visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam last year. It was incredible to see his paintings and read the story of his life as I walked through the galleries. Thanks for sharing your photos.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see the Van Gogh Museum one day too.
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