The Real Meaning Behind van Gogh’s “Portrait of Dr. Gachet”
This article discusses depression, mental health issues, and suicide.
Vincent van Gogh’s artworks have captivated me since I was very young. When I first discovered art and painting, I immediately declared van Gogh my favorite artist. But his story is not a happy one. Throughout the years, I have taken some time in exploring it. Portrait of Dr. Gachet is heavily intertwined in a way that is not frequently mentioned.
Portrait of Dr. Gachet is arguably one of van Gogh’s more famous pieces, although it hasn’t made its way around quite like Starry Starry Night or van Gogh’s self-portrait. But I believe that there is no painting that tells a story quite like Portrait of Dr. Gachet. It is intertwined with van Gogh’s life, with his depression. The painting is frequently referenced as one of the saddest paintings of all time. But there is much more to it than that.
Portrait of Dr. Gachet was painted a short while after van Gogh was released from a mental asylum, where he had stayed for a year after cutting off his own ear. A former patient of Dr. Gachet’s had recommended to van Gogh’s brother that Van Gogh visit Dr. Gachet and stay with him.
Van Gogh quickly warmed up to Dr. Gachet, and it was clear that he was much happier during his stay with him. Van Gogh believed that…
