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Vincent Van Gogh 9. The Sadness Will Last Forever

Thanks to his brother Theo, an exhibition of Vincent Van Gogh's work was held. For the first time, critics praised his paintings. Vincent, who had only ever received no reviews or bad ones, found it hard to believe that his work was finally being appreciated. He wanted to rush to the exhibition, but... Vincent couldn't leave the asylum. His seizures had worsened, making it impossible for him to go. Unable to bear the conditions at the Saint-Rémy asylum, Vincent returned to Paris at Theo’s urging. However, his troubled past in the city and his financial disputes with his brother made it unbearable for him to stay. So, he moved to Auvers-sur-Oise, a small town outside Paris. The church at Auvers (1890) In Auvers, Vincent sought help from Dr. Paul Gachet, a physician and painter who had been friends with Paul Cézanne. But Gachet couldn't cure Vincent's deepening mental troubles. Dr. Paul Gachet (1890) Whenever Vincent returned to a clearer state of mind, he would paint rel...
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Pablo Picasso 3. The Impact of a Friend's Suicide (Blue Period)

Pablo Picasso had a close friend named Carles Casagemas, who was also an artist. They were quite a pair, both a bit eccentric, as geniuses often are.

The portrait of Casagemas (1899)

In 1900, the two friends traveled together to attend the World's Fair in Paris. The Eiffel Tower, a symbol of Paris, was constructed for this exposition. Parts of the Statue of Liberty from New York were also displayed there. Despite the entry fee being roughly equivalent to a worker's annual salary, over 50 million people from around the world attended. Remarkably, the fair still ran at a loss due to its extravagant scale and beauty.


While living in Paris, both Picasso and Casagemas fell in love with the city and decided to settle there. However, trouble soon followed. Casagemas fell in love with a model named Germaine. Unfortunately, due to impotence, he couldn't consummate their relationship, and she eventually left him for another man.


In 1901, still unable to forget her, Casagemas proposed to Germaine again. When she rejected him, he shot at her with a prepared gun and then turned it on himself, committing suicide. Germaine was only grazed by the bullet and survived without major injuries, but Casagemas's suicide brought immense grief to both her and Picasso.

The death of Casagemas (1901)

At the age of 20, Picasso expressed his sorrow through his art, creating paintings that were darker and more somber than his previous works, with a noticeable emphasis on blue tones. This period of his work is known as the Blue Period.

Life (1903)

During this time, Picasso was also romantically involved with Louise Odette Lenoir, a friend of Germaine's. However, while comforting Germaine after Casagemas's death, Picasso and Germaine became romantically involved.

This marked the beginning of Picasso's numerous romantic entanglements. He often paid his models generously and engaged in romantic relationships with them. However, these relationships were usually short-lived, as he tended to abuse the women he was involved with.


Updated in 2024.05.24

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