Van Gogh

[osprey_archer]

Van Gogh! One of my favorite nineteenth century artists, who I love so much that I watched both movies about him, even though one is slightly dull and the other unbearably terrible, Jesus Christ, just thinking back to Vincent and Theo makes me die a little inside.

The tragical tale of van Gogh and Gauguin’s disastrous artistic partnership! So van Gogh saw Gauguin’s paintings and was all “MY ARTISTIC SOULMATE.” I do not believe they had actually met at this point, but no matter.

Van Gogh: Gauguin! Come live with me in the south of France! I have rented a yellow house for us. We will live together and talk about Art and paint beautiful, beautiful pictures!

Gauguin: Van Gogh, I say this to you as a man with an ego the size of Saturn. It worries me how much you love me.

Van Gogh: I will fill your room with sunflower paintings!

Eventually Van Gogh’s brother Theo actually paid Gauguin to go live with Van Gogh, so Gauguin went to Arles, things went wrong in short order, and as we all know, Van Gogh cut off his ear in a fit of madness.

Or so the story goes! But there is a theory - which makes Gauguin looks like a terrible person, so naturally I like it - that Gauguin cut off van Gogh’s ear during an argument and then convinced van Gogh to tell everyone that he cut off his own ear.

And then Gauguin ran off to Tahiti to sleep with twelve-year-old girls, leaving van Gogh heartbroken, earless, and more unstable than ever. IT IS SO SAD.

Comments

[ladyherenya]

Have you seen the Doctor Who episode with van Gogh? (My knowledge of van Gogh is limited to said episode and Don McLean's song "Vincent".)

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I haven't! Is it worth watching?

[goldjadeocean.livejournal.com]

SO GOOD.

Even just from the PoV of someone who suffers from recurrent depression, it was amazing. I don't normally watch Who, but I made an exception for "Vincent and the Doctor" and I'm glad I did.

[goldjadeocean.livejournal.com]

Gauguin: Van Gogh, I say this to you as a man with an ego the size of Saturn. It worries me how much you love me.

ROFL, as they said in days of yore.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

It has to be kind of exhausting being at the center of an obsession like that. I mean, sure van Gogh loves Gauguin now...but what if he changes his mind? Will his love turn to equally incandescent hate?

[silverusagi]

You make this all sound so desperately interesting! I minored in Humanities in college, but I don't remember any stories like this, lol.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I don't think many stories are quite as exciting as van Gogh and Gauguin!

Although apparently Rousseau started a feud with the Scottish philosopher Hume: he was all, "HUME! I saw you looking at me over the breakfast table. IT WAS LIKE YOU WERE STARING INTO MY SOUL."

And Hume was like, "Sometimes I just stare into space...? I'm sorry...?"

But Rousseau felt his soul had been violated, so he left in a huff.

[silverusagi]

"HUME! I saw you looking at me over the breakfast table. IT WAS LIKE YOU WERE STARING INTO MY SOUL."

SEE, everything is better when told in the language of the internet, lol.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I know, right! I don't even know why I try writing academic things. Clearly my gift is encapsulating tiny and only vaguely accurate historical snippets for the internet.

[ladyherenya]

I think so. It's one of Doctor Who's better episodes and it's more thoughtful and melancholy than they often are - they don't usually address mental health issues.

And the on-going story threads are fairly subtle, so it would probably stand very well on its own.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I saw it! It was fun - I liked the way that Vincent had both special powers and depression and I wanted to give him a hug.

Also kind of wanted to yell at the Doctor and Amy, "WARN HIM ABOUT GAUGUIN ALREADY!" but I guess they can't really do that.