Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)
1889
Oil paint on canvas
73 x 92 cm
Acquired by Oskar Reinhart in 1925
This painting shows the inner courtyard of the hospital in Arles, in southern France, where Vincent van Gogh was treated from late 1888, following a mental health crisis during which he mutilated his ear. His Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear is on display as part of The Courtauld’s collection.
To paint this broad view, he positioned himself in the open gallery on the first floor, which gave him an elevated vantage point. Unusually, he did not send the painting, nor its pair (displayed on the right), to his brother Theo in Paris. Instead, he took them with him when he moved to a psychiatric institution in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, perhaps hoping the doctors there would also grant him permission to paint.