TY - JOUR
T1 - Van gogh and his doctors
T2 - Projections and counter-projections
AU - Heyd, Milly
PY - 2011/6/1
Y1 - 2011/6/1
N2 - This article analyzes the relationship between Van Gogh and two of his doctors, Dr. Rey and Dr. Gachet, whose portraits he painted, by comparing their rapport with the sick painter and vice versa. Van Gogh the patient/ artistpresented here as a case studyenables us to examine not only his projections but the counter-projections of his doctors, whether in writing (Dr. Rey) or in painting (Dr. Gachet), and to explore the psychological and ethical tensions these projections give rise to. Van Gogh's portraits of the two doctors offer two contrastive models: estrangement vis - vis doubling and symbiosis. Whereas Dr. Rey catered for Van Gogh's maternal needs and misunderstood his artistic needs, Dr. Gachet identified with his patient's talent and drew his face (death mask) after his suicide. The central ethical question that arises from the analysis of Van Gogh's relationship with his two doctors is whether we can extend our moral judgments beyond the cultural bounds of a specific historical context.
AB - This article analyzes the relationship between Van Gogh and two of his doctors, Dr. Rey and Dr. Gachet, whose portraits he painted, by comparing their rapport with the sick painter and vice versa. Van Gogh the patient/ artistpresented here as a case studyenables us to examine not only his projections but the counter-projections of his doctors, whether in writing (Dr. Rey) or in painting (Dr. Gachet), and to explore the psychological and ethical tensions these projections give rise to. Van Gogh's portraits of the two doctors offer two contrastive models: estrangement vis - vis doubling and symbiosis. Whereas Dr. Rey catered for Van Gogh's maternal needs and misunderstood his artistic needs, Dr. Gachet identified with his patient's talent and drew his face (death mask) after his suicide. The central ethical question that arises from the analysis of Van Gogh's relationship with his two doctors is whether we can extend our moral judgments beyond the cultural bounds of a specific historical context.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84857580770&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10848770.2011.575598
DO - 10.1080/10848770.2011.575598
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AN - SCOPUS:84857580770
SN - 1084-8770
VL - 16
SP - 355
EP - 362
JO - European Legacy
JF - European Legacy
IS - 3
ER -