Continued from Part 2
Van Gogh's Final Days
Vincent Van Gogh had a very personal reason for visiting Paris after leaving the asylum. Not only had he never met his sister-in-law Johanna except through her letters, he was also eager to see his new nephew for the first time. Although he and Johanna had been exchanging letters since her marriage to Theo, the meeting was important for both of them. She would later write that "I had expected a sick man but here was a sturdy, broad-shouldered man, with a healthy colour, a smile on his face, and a very resolute appearance." Van Gogh in turn described Johanna as "charming and very simple and nice". Despite being with his family, Van Gogh was disturbed by "the noise and bustle" of Paris and was afraid of having a relapse.
By May, 1890, he had left Paris and was safely settled in nearby Auvers-sur-Oise. Now a suburb of Paris, the peaceful commune was a favourite hangout for artists. In deciding that he should live there, Theo Van Gogh had arranged for his brother to say in the home of a homeopathic doctor and psychiatrist named Paul Gachet. Since Dr. Gachet was an amateur painter himself, the Van Gogh brothers had decided that he would be the ideal doctor to oversee Vincent's recovery and allow him to continue his painting.
Despite having numerous artists as patients (including August Renoir and Edouard Cezanne), Dr. Gachet had his own eccentricities and Van Gogh had problems with the treatment he received. Van Gough eventually concluded that Dr. Gachet was "sicker than I am, I think, or shall we say just as much." Although the doctor was full of advice on how his patient could recover (including giving up alcohol and smoking), Van Gogh refused to follow it
If Van Gogh had been optimistic before coming to Auvers-sur-Oise, his misgivings about Dr. Gachet's treatment likely made him more depressed than ever. Along with his depression, he also seemed more apprehensive about his condition getting worse. Although Van Gogh's time there was one of his most productive periods with many fine works being produced (including a portrait of Dr. Gachet and his daughter), his letters to Theo were filled with concerns about his future prospects. Theo in turn was worried about his brother as well as his own career as an art dealer.
Despite hints that Van Gogh was slowly growing worse, what happened on July 27, 1890 took everyone by surprise. After the sound of a shot was heard behind the Auberge Ravoux where he had been staying as a lodger, a severely wounded Vincent Van Gogh stumbled into the chateau. While his condition appeared to be stabilized at first (he was even smoking a pipe at one point), he eventually slipped into a coma.
According to medical sources, the attending physician underestimated how serious the wound was and made no attempt to remove the bullet. Theo, summoned from Paris by an urgent telegram from Dr. Gachet, managed to arrive in time to have his brother die in his arms. While no gun was ever found, there seemed little doubt that his death was a suicide.
In describing Vincent's death, Johanna later wrote that "Fear of the illness that was threatening him once again, or an actual attack drove him to his death." Although Paul Gachet faced considerable criticism over his patient's suicide just ten weeks after treatment began, he defended himself by pointing out that Vincent failed to follow much of the actual advice that he had been given. Vincent was buried in Auvers-sur-Oise.
The Aftermath
And Vincent Van Gogh wasn't the only casualty. Theo, grieving over his brother's death and guilt-stricken over being able to prevent the suicide, developed serious medical problems of his own. His health had already been poor and he never recovered from the shock of losing Vincent. Just a month after settling Vincent's last will and testament (he was the executor), Theo began experiencing severe headaches and mood swings as well as terrible nightmares.
He quit his job and eventually broke down completely by the middle of October when he was admitted to a Paris clinic with a possible stroke. His condition worsened and Johanna took him home to the Netherlands where he died on January 25, 1891. He was only 33 years old.
Although the official cause of death was dementia paralytica (possibly syphilis-related), the emotional trauma of his brother's suicide likely played a major role. While he was first buried in his native country, Theo's body was exhumed in 1914 and ![51cR3aMWZlL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_[1] 51cR3aMWZlL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_[1]](http://drvitelli.typepad.com/.a/6a00d834523c1e69e2016769598fb4970b-320wi)
buried next to his brother in France.
As for Johanna, although she later remarried, she continued to act as a major driving force in promoting the memory of Vincent and Theo Van Gogh until her own death in 1925.
Already praised for his amazing art during his lifetime, Van Gogh's reputation grew steadily after his death. The extensive collection of letters that he wrote were first published in annotated form by Johanna in 1913. Along with providing a compelling look at the lifelong friendship between Vincent and Theo, the letters also show Vincent's relationship with some of the most famous artists of his time (including Paul Gauguin and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec) and the emotional support that he depended on for so long. Although the letters were originally undated, careful work by Van Gogh's various biographers, as well as historians associated with the Van Gogh Museum have made the letters an imp0rtant resource for art historians and psychologists alike.
The letters may be a good resource for people coping with mental illness as well. Despite his tragic death, Vincent Van Gogh coped successfully with his mental illness for many years with the help of caring family members. The symptoms that Vincent carefully described in his letters are ones that many people with psychiatric problems need to wrestle with on a daily basis. His sad fate also demonstrates the need for prompt intervention and a good relationship between patients and their caregivers.
Would Vincent have been as great an artist with modern medical treatment available (including medication)? Could he have lived longer and provided the world with even more amazing paintings? Some questions can never be answered.