Van Gogh and Gauguin

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how, when the artist Vincent Van Gogh requested self-portraits from his artist friends in Paris, Gauguin sent his with the inscription 'Les Miserables', identifying himself and the artist in general with Victor Hugo's character Jean Valjean. It explores the theme of the artist as outsider through the work and interaction of Van Gogh and Gauguin, focusing on the period they spent together in Arles at the 'Yellow House'.

Outline
Self-Fashioning: The Idea of the Artist
Les Miserables
Theory and Practice

From the Paper:

"In the aftermath of his breakdown, Vincent wrote to Gauguin, "Ah_ My dear friend painting is to us what the music of Berlioz and Wagner was before us a consolatory art for sore hearts_ And yet there are only a few like you and me who feel it". Gauguin went into the "Studio of the South" with similar sentiments. He responded to Vincent's request for self-portraits from his artist friends with Les Miserables, associating his plight with that of Hugo's Jean Valjean the fugitive/outcast. But the title is suggestive beyond its literary allusion. Van Gogh went through life swinging from optimism to despair, and Gauguin was certainly miserable for a good portion of his days: "my brother understands you, and when he tells me you're another unhappy wretch like me that proves he understands us" ."

More papers on Van Gogh and Gauguin:

• Descriptive Essay # 9428 : "Van Gogh The Man and His Paintings"
• Research Paper # 1847 : "Vincent Van Gogh"
• Essay # 40025 : "The Concept of Vision in Terms of Sensual and Social Perception"

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