The Last Van Gogh

THE LAST VAN GOGH is author Alyson Richman's skillfully imagined historical fiction, based on intriguing questions raised at a Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) art exhibition she attended in 1999 at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Included in this exhibition were private paintings from the collection of surgeon-homeopath Dr. Paul Gachet (1828-1909), who treated the painter in the final months of his life in a small town outside Paris called Auvers-sur-Oise.

It's 1890 and Van Gogh is still reeling from a recent institutionalization to treat his ongoing mental illness. He moves to Auvers to be closer to both his brother Theo, an art dealer, and Dr. Gachet, a physician and noted friend to artists. Gachet is known to take art works in show more lieu of payment for his medical services.

Van Gogh's plan is to focus on his art. Among the seventy or so paintings he completed in the last three months of his life are a portrait of Dr. Gachet as well as multiple paintings of Gachet's 21-year-old daughter Marguerite (1869-1949). Along with one that art historians believe was never completed.

From these few basic facts, Richman crafts a lovely and believable romance (though still historically unproven) between Marguerite and Vincent. For the sheltered Marguerite, it's a deep first love. For Vincent, sixteen years her senior, perhaps a last grasp at happiness. Regardless of their motivation, Richman recreates a beautiful 19th century world of small town life, art, and color through rich descriptions, modest dialog, and intelligent speculation about these characters' inner thoughts. It's a delightful place to visit. And such a tender story.

Richman is one of my favorite authors and even though I don't consider this her best novel, I so admire her ability to completely immerse me in a different time and place. Plus, I learned more about the life of this talented artist. show less

THE LAST VAN GOGH is author Alyson Richman's skillfully imagined historical fiction, based on intriguing questions raised at a Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) art exhibition she attended in 1999 at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Included in this exhibition were private paintings from the collection of surgeon-homeopath Dr. Paul Gachet (1828-1909), who treated the painter in the final months of his life in a small town outside Paris called Auvers-sur-Oise.

It's 1890 and Van Gogh is still reeling from a recent institutionalization to treat his ongoing mental illness. He moves to Auvers to be closer to both his brother Theo, an art dealer, and Dr. Gachet, a physician and noted friend to artists. Gachet is known to take art works in show more lieu of payment for his medical services.

Van Gogh's plan is to focus on his art. Among the seventy or so paintings he completed in the last three months of his life are a portrait of Dr. Gachet as well as multiple paintings of Gachet's 21-year-old daughter Marguerite (1869-1949). Along with one that art historians believe was never completed.

From these few basic facts, Richman crafts a lovely and believable romance (though still historically unproven) between Marguerite and Vincent. For the sheltered Marguerite, it's a deep first love. For Vincent, sixteen years her senior, perhaps a last grasp at happiness. Regardless of their motivation, Richman recreates a beautiful 19th century world of small town life, art, and color through rich descriptions, modest dialog, and intelligent speculation about these characters' inner thoughts. It's a delightful place to visit. And such a tender story.

Richman is one of my favorite authors and even though I don't consider this her best novel, I so admire her ability to completely immerse me in a different time and place. Plus, I learned more about the life of this talented artist. show less

A pleasant getaway and an easy read, this book will touch any reader, whether they're admirers of Van Gogh's artworks or not (of course, if you are, it only adds to the enjoyment). The book's grounding in persistent, heartfelt research by the author, and its portrayal of Vincent as a living, breathing person really makes the book's history come alive, too. Van Gogh's early death was a tragic loss to all of art, but this story may just shed some light on why and how, and who else may have been involved. After reading this you probably won't look at a Van Gogh artwork in quite the same way again.Originally written on Jun 17, 2009 at 09:00AM

"The Last Van Gogh" followed the last seventy days of Vincent Gogh's life, which were spent in the little French village, Auvers-sur-Oise. Although the first half was quite slow, I appreciated how the author took historical figures and created believable characters, and the book gave a good insight into a woman's lot in life in the 1800s. However, I would have liked a deeper insight into Van Gogh's earlier life. I also found the romance between Vincent and Marguerite Gachet fairly insipid and I thought the author focused too much on Marguerite and not enough on Vincent. For me, the highlight of this book was all the wonderful references to, and descriptions of, Van Gogh's artwork, hence the three stars.

Van Gogh has always been one of my favorite artists and inspirations so this was a must read for me. Rich with period detail, well done characterization and a real sense of place and time. I found the author's notes to be fascinating, especially of her actually having spoken to two elderly women who knew the Gachet family and some of their secrets, including the tidbit about an illegitimate daughter being raised in the same household. It's those type of details that lend credence to the story and to the possibility of Van Gogh having had an affair with Doctor Gachet's legitimate daughter, the woman the artist portrqyed in two of his final paintings.

This story focuses on the last 70 days of Vincent Van Gogh, through the eyes of 20 year old Marguerite Gachet, the daughter of Dr Gachet, who was surpervising Van Gogh's care after his release from hospital. The details about Dr Gachet's home-made remedies as well as his bizarre family life were fascinating and the village of Augers-sur-Oise, along with settings for some of the paintings of Van Gogh, is brilliantly described. The writing is good for the most part, but there are some rather clumsy bits, which lets the book down a bit.

This definitely makes me want to read more about Van Gogh and Dr Gachet.

The Last Van Gogh by Alyson Richman, which was our May book club selection (unfortunately, I missed this meeting due to obligations at the 2013 Gaithersburg Book Festival), is based on true events in near the end of Vincent Van Gogh’s life in Auvers, France, in the 1890s. Told from the point of view of Marguerite Gachet, a story unfolds not so much about Van Gogh but about the cloistered life of a young woman trapped inside her own family home by not only an overbearing and controlling father, but also family secrets. More than that, it is a tribute to an artist and the tension between that art and the desire to have a normal life, as well as the struggle between family obligation and one’s own desires.

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