Drama at Arles new light on Van Gogh's self-mutilation

Apollo, Sept, 2005 by Martin Bailey

Theo left later that day for the 770-kilometre journey. The train timetable suggests that he may well have taken the 7.15 pm express from Paris, arriving at 8.46 am at Tarascon, where he would have had to get a local train or coach for the short trip to Arles. (53) Theo must have hurried to the hospital, in the Hotel Dieu, in the south of the town, just over a kilometre from the station (Fig. 14). He met Dr Rey and found Van Gogh in a weak condition and a confused state. Although Gauguin may well have accompanied Theo to the hospital, there is no evidence that be visited his friend there; the doctors may have advised against it, Gauguin may not have wanted to see him, or Van Gogh may have turned down the suggestion. Theo later described the situation to Jo:

   I found Vincent in the hospital in
   Aries. The people around him
   realised from his agitation that for
   the past few days he had been
   showing symptoms of that most
   dreadful illness, of madness, and an
   attack of high fever, when he injured
   himself with a knife, [and this] was
   the reason he was taken to hospital. (54)

[FIGURE 14 OMITTED]

Theo withheld the horrific news that Vincent had cut off part of his ear. He also described the object as a knife, although this may have been to spare Jo the detail that a sharper instrument had been used.

While in Arles, Theo must have met Roulin, as well as the Reverend Frederic Salles, the Protestant minister in Arles, who may well have served as a hospital chaplain. Theo and Gauguin then returned to Paris together that evening, quite possibly taking the 8.21 pm train from Tarascon and arriving in Paris the following morning at 9.25 am. It is curious that they both left quite so quickly, considering that Vincent was then thought to be close to death. (55) Surprisingly little comment has been made on this point.

Theo probably stayed in Aries for less than nine hours. Presumably he needed to return to the Goupil Gallery, which he managed, although it was just after Christmas. Jo left Paris on the morning of 26 December for Amsterdam, but although Theo returned that morning they do not seem to have met. On 5 January Theo went to Holland, for the engagement celebration. Obviously he had work and family responsibilities, but, considering his brother's condition, it is surprising that he did not remain longer in Aries.

It is even more curious that Gauguin left Aries so swiftly. Even if his presence might have upset Van Gogh, he could have remained in contact with the hospital, to pass on news to Theo. He might also have done more to tidy up the Yellow House, which would have been helpful, regardless of whether Van Gogh had died or returned home. In addition, Gauguin does not seem to have had pressing personal or professional reasons to be in Paris. By fleeing Aries, he appeared to be abandoning his friend. Although they corresponded, the two artists never met again.

The guillotine

On his return, Gauguin did what appears to be a most extraordinary thing: he attended an execution. After leaving Theo at the station, he went to stay with his friend Schuffenecker, at 29 Rue Boulard. The following day, 27 December, he spent the evening at the Cafe de la Nouvelle-Athenes (in Place Pigalle), the meeting place of the Impressionists. He was presumably catching up with news after spending the autumn in Arles--and, no doubt, telling his friends about Van Gogh. While at the cafe, news came through about the impending guillotining of a murderer known as Prado, alias Count Linska de Castillon. On the night of 14-15 January 1885 Prado had murdered a prostitute, Marie Aguetant, in Paris.