Vincent van Gogh’s last days and the tragic story of his death.
Episode 4: Van Gogh’s last day – July 28, 1890
After Vincent van Gogh had shot himself in the chest, he spent his last days in Auberge Ravoux in Auvers, France. During those last days he told his brother Theo and his doctor Paul Gachet that it was his wish to die…
Doctor Gachet had sent out a telegram to Van Gogh’s brother Theo, informing him that Vincent had hurt himself. Theo received the telegram the next morning and he immediately traveled to Auvers.
When Vincent woke up in the Auberge that morning, two gendarmes appeared at his bed side asking him if he was the one "who wanted to commit suicide." Vincent declared that he was free to do with his body whatever he wanted. He pressed the gendarmes not to accuse anybody, because it was his choice to commit suicide.
"Gendarme, my body is mine and I am free to do what I want with it. Do not accuse anybody, it is I that wished to commit suicide."
Theo at his side
By mid-afternoon, Theo arrived by train and he hurried to the Auberge to join his brother and remain at his side. Ravoux’s daughter Adeline told about this morning:
"His [Theo’s] face was marked by sorrow. He immediately climbed up to his brother who he kissed and spoke to him in their native language. Father withdrew and did not help them. He did not go back in during the night."
Theo wrote about Vincent’s last hours to his wife Jo:
"This morning a Dutch painter who also lives in Auvers brought me a letter from Dr. Gachet that contained bad news about Vincent and asked me to come. Leaving everything, I went and found him somewhat better than I expected. I will not write the particulars, they are too sad, but you must know, dearest, that his life may be in danger...
He was glad that I came and we are together all the time... poor fellow, very little happiness fell to his share, and no illusions are left him. The burden grows too heavy at times, he feels so alone. He often asks after you and the baby, and said that you could not imagine there was so much sorrow in life. Oh! If we could only give him some new courage to live. Don't get too anxious; his condition has been just as hopeless before, but his strong constitution deceived the doctors."
During his travel to Auvers, Theo had believed that his brother would live, that he would be strong enough to survive. But when he arrived at Vincent’s bedside, he realized that the situation was much more serious. The doctors explained to him that they were not able to remove the bullet from Vincent’s body. It was a hopeless situation…
The wish to die
Van Gogh, who was still smoking his pipe, explained that his suicide had been absolutely deliberate and that he had done it in complete lucidity. When Dr. Gachet told Vincent that he still hoped to save his life, the artist said, "Then I'll have to do it over again."
In a letter to Elizabeth van Gogh, Theo wrote about Vincent’s wishes:
"He did not wish to stay alive and his mind was so calm because he had always fought for his convictions, convictions that he had measured against the best and noblest of his predecessors. His love for his father, for the gospel, for the poor and the unhappy, for the great men of literature and painting, is enough proof for that.
He himself wanted to die, when I sat at his bedside and said that we would try to get him better and that we hoped that he would then be spared this kind of despair, he said, 'La tristesse durera toujours' [The sadness will last forever]. I understood what he wanted to say with those words."
Theo’s wife Jo wrote about her feelings on this day:
"I went out late in the evening. The wind blew, it rained, and it was pitch-dark. Everywhere in the houses I saw light and people gathered around the table. And I felt so forlorn that for the first time I understood what Vincent must have felt in those times, when every body turned away from him, when he felt 'as if there were no place for him on earth…'"
What were Van Gogh’s last words and who attended his funeral?
Read more about Van Gogh’s final hours in next episode: His last words.
Previous articles:
Episode 3: The suicide attempt
Sad
This is so gloomy. I knew his life was a disaster, but these episodes makes his last days so lively. It is so sad he even couldn't commit suicide immediately. I cannot wait to read the next article...