Dear Vincent,
I apologize that I cannot be with you on your birthday, but to make up for that I have decided to get you two gifts. I feel like these gifts will help you in your artistic endeavors. I spent time thinking up these gifts so I hope you like them. My intent was to get you things that you could actually use rather than meaningless trinkets.
I heard that you recently had an episode, I’m very sorry to hear that. I hope you are doing well. I am very distressed to read what the paper had to say about the incident. It worries me that you are going through such hardship. I know the best thing possible would be to speak to someone about your issues, but as I am not able to be there I decided to get the next best thing to directly help your new problem. Because of this recent self-mutilation, I am sure it is harder than usual to hear without your ear. I have purchased you a hearing aid and extra batteries. I know you are fond of Rachel from the brothel you frequented with Gauguin, but please don’t give this to her also. She already has your ear, so I think she got the message of your affection. I hope that this outcry was not in fact left as a memento for Gauguin. I also hope the friendship troubles the two of you were experiencing have passed.
This is the alarming section in the newspaper that informed me of the event:
“Last Sunday night at half past eleven a painter named Vincent Vangogh, appeared at the maison de tolérance No 1, asked for a girl called Rachel, and handed her … his ear with these words: ‘Keep this object like a treasure.’ Then he disappeared. The police, informed of these events, which could only be the work of an unfortunate madman, looked the next morning for this individual, whom they found in bed with scarcely a sign of life. The poor man was taken to hospital without delay.”
I am glad that you committed yourself to the hospital. The first step to recovery is admittance, so I am very glad to hear that you have accepted the fact that you need help. Since you have been in the hospital I understand that you were given a second room in attachment to your bedroom to use as a painting studio. That is wonderful and I am so glad to hear that you are still working on your art. I have seen a few of the paintings you have produced since being committed. Your recollection of the vineyard and gardens on your supervised walks outside is wonderful. It’s almost like you have a picture perfect memory.
My special favorite is the work that everyone seems to be talking the most about, The Starry Night. I realize that this one is not painted from memory, but in fact from the view outside your bedroom window. I especially love the swirls, which are so unique the other 20 versions of your view out the iron bars you painted. Your brother Theo told me these things from the letter you wrote to him in May in which you said “I can see an enclosed square of wheat . . . above which, in the morning, I watch the sun rise in all its glory.”
I realize you already have a telescope, which you used in most of the 21 paintings you did out your window. Such as in the 15th painting where you used the telescope to get a better view of the cypress trees. I know you are not allowed to paint alone in your room according to the nurses, so I would love to see your original sketches in person someday. I was going to get you a telescope, but since you already have one I have decided to get you lead-free paint. From what I understand, you have been ingesting your paint. I highly suggest you do not do this any longer, as this could be the primary cause of your neurotic breakdowns and psychosis. Hopefully these paints will be just as good as what you have been using. More importantly, if the lead is what is causing your anguish and hallucinations, I hope these new paints will not do this as well.
I hope you enjoy your birthday and your gifts! I cannot wait to see the rest of your work.
Sincerely,
Thala Hash
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh#Artistic_breakthrough_and_final_years
http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/starry-night.html
The Birthday Blog 
I was wondering, how come Vincent Van Gogh was ingesting lead paint? I also wondering what happened to his ear and if he had some kind of mental breakdown?
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I believe it was a rumor about him cutting off his own ear. How can a brilliant artist do this? It was a dutch painter who cut his ear off with a blade and later Van Gogh may have seemed to hide this whole drama.
Here is the ABC news link. http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=7506786
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Excellent post Thala! I never realized he used a telescope that much! Such good information and such fun to read!
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Brilliant!…Interesting to learn Van Gogh had such a troubling life. I was wondering why he was not allowed to paint alone in his room and if he had any family support during all this.Your references shed light on his seemingly suicidal tendencies and fact that his brother Theo provided some financial and emotional support. Good job!
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Wow!! I have to agree with Harold. Now the life of Van Gogh makes more sense and linking it to some web pages it helps out too interesting information that you share. Never knew Van Gogh was in a depression and couldn’t be left alone in his room I mean was it because maybe he was going to do something crazy to himself. Well then.
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Wow, there were so many intimate details of van Gogh’s life— I’m very impressed! Thalia, you also used a couple of primary documents in your blog post which I think contributed even more to a realistic feeling in your blog. And also, although I knew van Gogh struggled with his mental health and was quite eccentric, I did not know he actually ate lead paint! I now really want to know what his motivation was behind the paint ingesting. Did he believe the colors would influence his mood? Did he just have an odd curiosity? Anyhow, very well-done! I can’t wait to discuss this post at our next class session!
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Engaging, informative, and well-imagined! As I read this greeting, I felt that I was in the moment, looking over the shoulder of the author. The tone of the letter and the choice of gifts imply a caring friend who knows Van Gogh well enough to talk freely about subjects that may not be public knowledge, including details about his health and personal life. Very creative!
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I never realized that Van Gogh used a telescope and I couldn’t believe he actually cut of his ear. I thought that was rumor. I also never knew that Van Gogh committed himself to a hospital. I learned so many things from your post. Great job.
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The hearing aid is a genius gift and It’s cool how you included the newspaper clipping. Good work, I never knew he ingested his paint like that so this was very creative as well as informative.
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These gifts were so smart and thoughtful! I was surprised to learn that he was provided with a room to paint in while he was in the hospital. I loved how you made us feel like we were there with him as he was reading your letter. So creative and descriptive! Awesome job!
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The hearing aid is a great gift! I wonder if it will stay in there, though. Perhaps he needs a prosthetic as well?
I never knew about the after effects of how he was found and brought to the hospital after cutting off his ear, and that he also received a room for painting while staying there. That’s quite interesting and I’m glad they supplied him with it. And… Did he actually /purposely/ eat paint? Strange…
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I really like that you pulled a newspaper article from the time- very cool. I’m very curious about why he ingested his paint, was it on purpose or on accident? People have known that contact with lead can poison a human for a long time, since it’s sometime metalworkers have had to deal with. Either way, good job Thala!
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Good call on the hearing aid and batteries. Did you make sure they were compatible? If you lived during that time wouldn’t you feel a litte cooky too? You depicted the situations so well as well as fantastic gift ideas. Too bad we can’t really give them these things.
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Awesome post! I never knew he ingested paint and was committed to a hospital. It’s kind of sad how he made beautiful artwork despite all that he was going through. I find it scary how he cut his own ear off, I thought that was just a rumor. I loved your gift ideas! Great job!
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Your gifts to him were hilariously genius. I’m not sure how well the hearing aid will work for him but hey, a gifts a gift right? If only lead free paint was around for at the time he was alive. It makes you wonder if his life would have unfolded in the same way. You set a great example for everyone, thanks!
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The newspaper was a great little detail to put in, I feel as if you sent Van Gogh a snapchat and said, “You really did it this time,” with an arrow pointed toward the newspaper. I too, question his intent on ingesting the lead-filled paint. Above neurotic, was he depressed? Very good post Thala!
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loved!
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I enjoyed reading this. It was a nice creative approach to the assignment. Great job. Such a odd man. Seems like a lot of the most mentally insane people create such great and meaningful art.
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Poor Mr. Van Gough,… The man wasn’t even mentally stable, although it sure didn’t show in his artwork. I have always wondered what it was that he was trying to replicate in his painting Starry Night. That is my favorite painting of all time. It’s so relaxing to look at his work. I feel like a lot of artist aren’t the most sane, but they are simply brilliant. Does anyone else agree with that? I wonder what other’s opinion was of him in the time period, did he appear mental, or normal?
I loved the gifts that you gave to him they were so incredibly clever! I never would have thought of those! I always have wondered what it would look like to open up his head and see what his visions of his artwork would look like compared to the real thing.
Great job on the blog!!
Ashley Stephen
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Van Gogh was such an incredible artist. The way that his work seems to look to be so dreamy is really cool. It was interesting how you included a newspaper article in your birthday blog. I defiantly knew before reading this blog who made the painting and the name of it, but I didn’t have a clear understanding of what it was a painting of. I always wondered what the cactus looking tree’s were. I now know that they are cypress tree’s that he painted the view he had from outside the window of your bedroom. I wonder where he lived exactly and what his actual view would look like compared to his painting. I would like to see if it was almost a replica, or if he added things in to make it appear to be more dreamy? It’s not the best idea to ingest paint?,… did he use this as an attempt to experiment or as a cry for help? It’s to bad that Vincent was so troubled.
Nice Birthday Blog
Alex Wills
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Great background information about such a well know artist, it really helps explain your gifts as well as give the reader a more inside look at why you gave him the certain gifts you did. Great post and it was very well written!
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