Vincent van Gogh’s last days and the tragic story of his death.
Episode 3: Van Gogh’s suicide attempt.
On July 27 1890, Vincent van Gogh attempted suicide.
Vincent painted a lot during his last weeks. He saw only one cure, one remedy, for his mental illness: to paint. This resulted in a creative rage, a personal revolution. The artist had a lot of energy and creativity, which he unloaded to his canvas. Painting was his refuge, the last resort. When he painted, he felt calm, disappeared in a fantasy world and forgot his troubles and worries. But after a happy new start in Auvers-sur-Oise, Vincent became an anxious man who was very worried about his future.
A shot in the wheat field
On July 27, 1890, Vincent van Gogh left the Auberge Ravoux right after lunch, which was unusual. He walked in to his beloved wheat fields near Auvers, placed his easel against a haystack and shot himself in the chest with a revolver.
The artist Emile Bernard described the scene to his friend Albert Aurier:
“On Sunday evening he went out into the countryside near Auvers, placed his easel against a haystack and went behind the chateau and fired a revolver shot at himself. Under the violence of the impact (the bullet entered his body below the heart) he fell, but he got up again, and fell three times more, before he got back to the inn where he was staying (Ravoux, place de la Mairie) without telling anyone about his injury.”
The unfortunate Vincent didn’t die immediately; the bullet had missed his heart. He did faint, but the freshness of the evening revived him. When he woke up again, Vincent sought the revolver to finish his deed, but he couldn’t find it. Eventually he gave up and stumbled back to his room at Auberge Ravoux.
Back in the Auberge Ravoux
In the meantime, the family Ravoux was worried about Vincent. It was unusual for him to be absent at dinner; Vincent always kept regular meal hours and he was very correct in his relationship with the Ravoux family.
When he arrived at the Auberge in the late evening, the family was sitting out on the café terrace. Adeline Ravoux, the young daughter of the family, remembers this evening very well:
“When we saw Vincent arrive night had fallen, it must have been about nine o'clock. Vincent walked bent, holding his stomach, again exaggerating his habit of holding one shoulder higher than the other. Mother asked him: "M. Vincent, we were anxious, we are happy to see you to return; have you had a problem?"
He replied in a suffering voice: "No, but I have…" he did not finish, crossed the hall, took the staircase and climbed to his bedroom. I was witness to this scene. Vincent made on us such a strange impression that Father got up and went to the staircase to see if he could hear anything."
After hearing groans Mr. Ravoux didn’t trust the situation and went up to Vincent’s room. What he saw was awful: Vincent doubled over with a self- inflicted gunshot wound in the chest. Mister Ravoux cried:
"Malheureaux, (unhappy man) what have you done?"
"I have tried to kill myself", Van Gogh replied.
Mr. Ravoux didn’t hesitate and alarmed Doctor Gachet.
The arrival of Dr. Gachet
Dr. Gachet arrived at the Auberge shortly. He concluded it was not possible to remove the bullet from Vincent's chest. The doctor dressed the wound with bandages, filled a pipe, lit it and placed it in Van Gogh’s mouth on his request. Vincent puffed quietly, while Dr. Gachet and the Mr. Ravoux sat at his side.
Dr. Gachet wrote a telegram to warn Vincent’s brother Theo that same evening:
“With the greatest regret I must disturb your repose. Yet I think it my duty to write to you immediately. At nine o'clock in the evening of today, Sunday, I was sent for by your brother Vincent, who wanted to see me at once. I went there and found him very ill. He has wounded himself...as I did not know your address and he refused to give it to me, this note will reach you through Goupil.”
Would Vincent van Gogh survive through the night? And was his brother in time to speak to Vincent before he died?
Read all about Van Gogh’s last day in next episode: The last day.
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