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Pencil drawing

14-03-2025 - Van Gogh - Dottor Gachet a pencil drawing year 1890

Dr. Gachet, a unique and essential figure for Van Gogh.
He embodies the importance of finding someone similar to ourselves—someone who understands us because they somehow share our same inner turmoil. In one of his letters to his brother, Vincent even wrote that, for the first time, he had found "someone crazier than him"!

I believe Van Gogh wasn’t mad—just psychologically fragile, delicate, deeply empathetic. In his time, such a sensitive nature would sadly be labeled as madness. Van Gogh was constantly searching for someone who could truly understand him. Dr. Gachet was that person, and during the two years the artist spent under his care, his mental health significantly improved.

Although history tells us Van Gogh died by suicide, there’s speculation that he may have actually been accidentally shot by some boys playing with a gun—and in order to protect them, he never revealed the truth. Gauguin repeatedly wrote in letters to friends that Van Gogh was “hermetic,” suggesting that the circumstances around his death remain controversial.

Van Gogh’s time with Gachet was incredibly productive. He lived in a warm and familial environment—the very thing he had longed for all his life.

As for the painting in question, it’s uncertain whether it’s truly the work of Van Gogh. In fact, it’s believed it may have been created by a promising student among the many artists supported by Dr. Gachet as a patron.

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