Expert Studying Van Gogh’s Final Work Unlocked A Clue About His Last Days
Few painters are as famous and recognizable as Vincent van Gogh, but he’s not just known for his beautiful art. His tragic life story has also drawn the attention of the world, so it’s no wonder that people speculate over the circumstances of his death. That includes studying the painting he was working on just days before he died, and one art historian thinks it may have led him to a fascinating new insight.
Mysterious End
It was July 29, 1890, when Vincent van Gogh succumbed to a gunshot injury he had received two days earlier. He was only 37 years old. Art historians have been trying to reconstruct his last movements ever since, but the full story has proved elusive. What we do know for sure is he went out to paint with a canvas in hand on July 27, and he came back with a mortal wound to his stomach.
Alternate Theory
At the time van Gogh was living near Paris in the town of Auvers-sur-Oise and still working hard on his paintings. Once it was thought that his last work was a piece called Wheatfield with Crows, but there’s another theory that it was actually one known as Tree Roots. Tree Roots was unfinished at the time of van Gogh’s death.
No Signs
Van Gogh had been living at the Auberge Ravoux inn for 70 days before he died. His behavior showed no sign of being unusual in the lead-up to the shooting. However, he did have a history of mental health problems. How do we know about this time in van Gogh’s life? Andries Bonger, brother-in-law to van Gogh’s brother, was the source.
Suicide Or Homicide
Bonger wrote about van Gogh’s final work, including how he was painting a piece “full of sun and life.” This has fueled the argument over whether this describes Wheatfield or Tree Roots, which in turn raises questions over van Gogh’s last movements. The answer may shed light on the mystery of van Gogh’s end. Did he pull the trigger himself, or did someone else kill him?
