A Portrait of Dr. Gachet

Dr. Paul Gachet was the physician taking care of Vincent van Gogh in the last months of his life. In June of 1890, Van Gogh painted two portraits of Dr. Gachet. The motive of the portraits is identical. The doctor is sitting at a table, leaning heavily on this right arm. He has an expression of slight abandon on his face as he stared into the air. He has a foxglove flower in his hand, a flower from which digitalis can be extracted in order to treat heart disease. This helps identify him as a doctor. In the far background, and hills can be made out.


The coloring of the two versions differs significantly. In the first version, the coloring is sharper, more contrast driven and leaves an impression of melancholy. The second version is more uniform in its coloring, with blue being the dominant color, only really challenged by the red of the table cloth. It also has a more depressed feel to it, a somber loss of purpose.

Previously to executing these paintings, Van Gogh has talked about the kind of portraits he would like to make, about how they had to be with the thought, and the soul of the model in it. Upon completing the first version, Van Gogh wrote to his brother about the painting:

“I've done the portrait of M. Gachet with a melancholy expression, which might well seem like a grimace to those who see it... Sad but gentle, yet clear and intelligent, that is how many portraits ought to be done... There are modern heads that may be looked at for a long time, and that may perhaps be looked back on with longing a hundred years later.”

The first version of Portrait of Dr. Gachet was sold in 1990 for USD 82.5 million. It is currently in a private collection. The second version is currently on display at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris.