Vincent Van Gogh in Arles, St. Remy and Auvers, 1888-1890 PART III

In May 1890, after spending a year at the asylum in St. Remy, Van Gogh left Provence and moved to Normandy.  He wanted to be closer to his brother Theo, but he felt life in Paris would be too stressful. On the advice of fellow painter Camille Pissarro, Van Gogh found lodging in the small hamlet of Auvers-sur-Oise about 20 miles from Paris in the countryside. This would be Van Gogh’s last home.

           Vineyards with a View of Auvers, 1890, oil on canvas, Vincent Van Gogh.

Auvers was the home of painter Charles Francois Daubigny who built a house and studio there in 1857.  Cezanne, Monet, Pissarro, Daubigny, Corot and Gauguin were among the many artists who have portrayed the village of Auvers.  Now Van Gogh would paint the charming village full of thatched roof cottages and beautiful gardens.  Van Gogh would write, “Auvers is decidedly very beautiful.”

                     Daubigny's Garden, 1890, oil on canvas, Vincent Van Gogh

Van Gogh lived in Auvers the last 70 days of his life.  It was his most prolific time; he created 75 paintings and 50 drawings.  His subjects included the local landscape, gardens, Daubigny’s home and gardens, the town church, wheat fields and portraits of his physician Dr. Gachet, his family and other friends.

                            Vincent Van Gogh's room at the Ravoux Inn in Auvers.

Van Gogh lived in a small cell like room at the Ravoux Inn.  The inn and its café have been restored and are open to the public.  Van Gogh’s room was a small cell like space on the third floor illuminated by a small window.

                        Church at Auvers, 1890, oil on canvas, Vincent Van Gogh

On July 29, 1890 Van Gogh died of a gun shot wound to the chest, he was 37 years old. Van Gogh is buried in the cemetery in Auvers long side his brother Theo, who passed away six months later.

The National Gallery of Art recently acquired one of Van Gogh’s last paintings.  This stunning canvas, called Green Wheat Fields, Auvers bears the hallmaks of Van Gogh’s work- brilliant palette, rich impasto and energetic brushwork.

               Green Wheat Fields, Auvers, 1890, oil on canvas, Vincent Van Gogh

To learn more about visiting Auvers and the House and Studio of Vincent Van Gogh visit http://www.maisondevangogh.fr/en/.

Vincent Van Gogh in Arles, St. Remy and Auvers, 1888-1890 PART II

In my last post I mentioned that the last two years of Vincent van Gogh’s life were his most prolific.  During those last years he lived in Arles and St. Remy in Provence and Auvers in Normandy. My last post discussed his time in Arles before moving to St. Remy, where he lived from May 1889-May 1990.

      "Garden at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole"by Vincent van Gogh, 1889, oil on canvas

When van Gogh arrived in St. Remy he entered the asylum of Saint-Paul-de–Mausole.  Because of his fragile mental health van Gogh was not permitted to leave the grounds of the asylum. It’s walled gardens, filled with pine trees, lilacs, roses and irises, gave van Gogh a peaceful place to paint directly from nature. He wrote his brother Theo “When you receive the canvases I’ve done in the garden you’ll see that I’m not too melancholy here”. The masterpieces he created on the asylum grounds include “The Irises” and “Starry Night”.  

                           "Irises" by Vincent van Gogh, 1889, oil on canvas.

Many of the paintings van Gogh created in St. Remy are from direct observation. However  “Starry Night”, which represents the nighttime view from his hospital room, was painted during the day and from memory.  Considered by many to be van Gogh’s most important work “Starry Night” shows his comfort with using the landscape to inspire his imagination.

                            "Starry Night" by Vincent van Gogh, 1889, oil on canvas.

After a few months van Gogh was allowed beyond the asylum grounds to paint in the surrounding countryside. The resulting masterpieces include “Olive Trees” and “Cypresses”.

                     "Olive Trees" by Vincent van Gogh, 1889, oil on canvas.

From his room van Gogh painted some of his most beloved still lives including the “Still Life: Vase with Pink Roses”.  The roses were originally pink and contrasted with the stark green background.  Over time the pink has faded and left a stunning, subtle painting of white roses. 

        "Still Life:Vase with Pink Roses" by Vincent van Gogh, 1889, oil on canvas.

The asylum at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole is still in existence and open to the public.  I visited there in the spring of 2012 and was able to walk the lovely gardens that inspired van Gogh. I also visited his small room where so many masterpieces were created!

   View of the garden at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, 2012. Photo by Marie Dauenheimer.

In May of 1890 van Gogh decided to leave the asylum at St. Remy and move north.  Afraid that living in Paris would be too difficult he sought the council of painter Camille Pissarro.  Pissarro suggested van Gogh move to Auvers-sur-Oise in Normandy, about 20 miles from Paris.  It was here that he would become a patient of Dr. Gachet, live out the last months of his life, and experience his most prolific painting interval.

View from Vincent van Gogh's room at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, 2012. Photo by Marie Dauenheimer

For more information about visiting St. Remy and the asylum

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187256-d246640-r136912609-St_Paul_de_Mausolee-Saint_Remy_de_Provence_Bouches_du_Rhone_Provence.html

I toured Arles and St. Remy with tour guide Marlene Boyer of Experience Provence. 

I highly recommend touring Arles and St. Remy with Marlene!

Vincent van Gogh in Arles, St. Remy and Auvers, 1888-1890 PART I

The last two years of Vincent van Gogh’s life were his most prolific.  He lived in three different towns during this time, Arles and St. Remy (in Provence), and Auvers-sur-Oise (Normandy).  I have had the opportunity to visit these three locations.  I enjoyed the insight these unique places brought to my understanding of Van Gogh and his work.

                      "Garden at Arles" by Vincent van Gogh, 1888, Oil on canvas.

 On February 20, 1888 van Gogh moved, from Paris, to Arles in the south of France.  He was attracted to the countryside, calling it  “The land of blue tones and gay colors”.  Funded by his brother Theo, Vincent moved into the now famous “Yellow House” and set up a studio and a room for a guest artist.

                    "The Yellow House" by Vincent van Gogh, 1888, oil on canvas.

While in Arles van Gogh was inspired to paint the local farmhouses and gardens.  His paintings from this period feature confident impasto brushstrokes and a brilliant palette.  Indeed, van Gogh wrote “Ah, these farmhouse gardens with lovely big red Provence roses, the vines, the fig trees; it’s quite poetic.”

              "View of Arles with Irises" by Vincent, van Gogh, 1888, oil on canvas.

On October 23, 1888 Paul Gauguin  (1848-1903) arrived and stayed with Vincent. Together the two artists painted, and unfortunately argued. During the two months they lived together unrest grew between them. On December 23, 1888, after a confrontation with Gauguin, van Gogh mutilated his left ear with a razor.  Van Gogh was admitted to the Hospital in Arles, as Gauguin fled for Paris. 

      "Courtyard at the Hospital at Arles" by Vincent van Gogh, 1888, oil on canvas.

While at the hospital van Gogh did two paintings of the lovely flower filled courtyard.  After being released from the hospital van Gogh returned to the yellow house, but due to demands from locals he was forced to leave the city.  In February 1889 van Gogh moved 15 miles northeast to the asylum of Saint-Paul-de–Mausolein St. Remy.  It was here that he would create his most inspired works including “Starry Night” and the “Irises”.

      Courtyard of the Hospital in Arles as it is today, photo by Marie Dauenheimer, 2013.

 I plan to do future blog postings about van Gogh's work and life in St. Remy and Auvers-sur-Oise. In the meantime if you are interested in van Gogh's work there is an upcoming exhibition at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC.  "Van Gogh Repetitions" will be up from October 12, 2013-January 26, 2014.