Profiles in Creativity: Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh’s death by suicide in July 1890 does not appear to be directly connected to his eviction from the Yellow House in Arles, but the traumatic events surrounding his time there—particularly his deteriorating mental health and the breakdown of his relationship with Paul Gauguin—were significant contributing factors to his decline.

A timeline of relevant events:

• September 1888: Van Gogh rents the Yellow House in Arles, hoping to create a community of artists.

• October–December 1888: Gauguin moves in. Their collaboration deteriorates rapidly, leading to intense arguments.

• December 23, 1888: Van Gogh suffers a mental breakdown (possibly precipitated by Gauguin's plans to leave), during which he famously cuts off part of his ear.

• Following the incident: Van Gogh is hospitalized in Arles. Due to concern from locals and authorities, he is deemed mentally unstable and ultimately evicted from the Yellow House in early 1889.

• May 1889: He voluntarily admits himself to the asylum at Saint-Rémy.

• May 1890: He leaves the asylum and moves to Auvers-sur-Oise under the care of Dr. Gachet.

• July 27, 1890: Van Gogh shoots himself and dies two days later.

Connection to His Suicide:

• The eviction from the Yellow House symbolized a loss of independence, a failed dream of artistic community, and public rejection. It likely compounded his sense of isolation and failure.

• However, by the time of his suicide, he had not lived in Arles for over a year, and more immediate stressors—financial instability, chronic mental illness, and possibly despair about his artistic success—were likely more pressing.

• Some scholars believe Van Gogh was experiencing a worsening of his psychiatric symptoms in Auvers, despite being productive artistically.

In summary:

Van Gogh’s eviction from the Yellow House was one of many emotional blows and turning points in his mental health journey, but his suicide in 1890 was more likely the result of accumulated psychological, social, and existential pressures, not a single past event.

• Blumer, D. (2002). "The Illness of Vincent van Gogh." American Journal of Psychiatry, 159(4), 519–526. Blumer outlines Van Gogh’s recurrent psychiatric symptoms and the likely combination of bipolar disorder and temporal lobe epilepsy. The paper notes his instability even while under the care of Dr. Gachet in Auvers.

• Naifeh, S., & Smith, G. W. (2011). Van Gogh: The Life. Random House.This detailed biography explains how Van Gogh’s dream of an artists’ colony in the Yellow House disintegrated after Gauguin’s departure and Van Gogh’s breakdown. His mental instability and local fear led to his forcible eviction in March 1889.

  “The Arles townspeople petitioned the mayor to remove Van Gogh after the ear incident, leading to his confinement and loss of his home.

• Hulsker, J. (1980). The Complete Van Gogh. Phaidon Press.Documents his prolific output in Auvers (over 70 paintings in 70 days), but also notes how his mood worsened before his death.