Van Gogh’s brother, Theo and artist Camille Pissarro developed a plan for Van Gogh to go to Auvers-sur-Oise with a letter of introduction for Dr. Paul Gacheta h omeopathic physician and art patron. The plan also included him staying at a nearby inn while under the doctors care. Van Gogh developed a close relationship with the doctor who he described as something like another brother. Van Gogh wrote, I have seen Dr. Gachet, who made the impression on me of being rather eccentric, but his experience as a doctor must keep him balanced while fighting the nervous trouble from which he certainly seems to me to be suffering at least as seriously as I. Sue Roe, author of The Private Lives of the Impressionists, wrote of Dr. Gachets garden: Dr. Gachets house was set in the hillside above the main street, with a terraced garden full of flowers...The house and garden were always full of stray cats, chickens and a ragged, featherless rooster... In the garden, Dr. Gachet worked at a table painted bright orange (later immortalized by Van Gogh, in his Portrait of Dr Gachet). Van Gogh became friends with Gachet very quickly after arriving at Auvers. He was invited to visit his home as he wanted. Van Gogh hoped to paint Gachet’s garden, possibly one or two days a week. In late June Van Gogh wrote of his interest to paint Marguerite Gachet, maybe in a country girl pose. A few days later he wrote that he painted her in a pink dress playing a piano, and the previous day she had posed for this garden painting. In Marguerite Gachet in the Garden, Marguerite is dressed in white, like a bride. The garden of white roses and light lemon marigolds. It was rumored in Auvers that Van Gogh considered Marguerite a friend and that she desired a relationship with him. Dr. Gachet, though, had not given permission for the sittings and when he learned of the two sittings in two consecutive nights he was quite apprehensive about any relationship they might share. Dr. Gachet asked Van Gogh to end his relationship with 21-year-old Marguerite. Derek Fell, author of Van Goghs Women: Vincents Love Affairs and Journey Into Madness suggests that Van Gogh may have cared more deeply than imagined and been at least in part the reason for shooting himself. In a letter to Theo Van Gogh expressed his sadness and frustration of not having a long-term partnership, That desire [for marriage] has left me, though the mental suffering of it remains. There were other concerns as well that affected Van Gogh at that time: the illness of Theos baby, Theos health and employment issues, potential loss of Theos support and the destruction of his relationship with Dr. Gachet who was meant to manage Van Goghs health and be a stabilizing influence. [from Wikipedia, Dr. Gachet’s Garden in Auvers...original has footnotes]
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 19:21:08 +0000
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