All Things Vincent

One of the biggest highlights of Provence was the visit to St. Remy de Provence for a visit to St. Paul de Mausole, the hospital where Vincent Van Gogh lived for the last year of his life. While being treated for mental illness he painted more than 150 paintings in the gardens of the hospital and around the town, sometimes accompanied by a nurse (a very humane hospital for the time!). The hospital is now a museum dedicated to Van Gogh, where you can visit his former room and walk the very peaceful gardens where he painted. The drive there under the canopies of plane trees is exquisite. 

Arm in arm with Vincent. This sculpture, by Gabriel Sterk, is named "The Sunflower Thief".

Van Gogh was actually born in the Netherlands. He came to Paris, France to live with his brother, who was an art dealer. He eventually settled in Arles, Provence, and then was hospitalized for the last year of his life in St. Remy.

As you walk throughout the site, there are copies of Van Gogh's artworks on display.

The hospital courtyard.

The door at the back of the hospital that leads to the garden.

The beautiful garden of lavender that greets you when you walk through the door.

View of the hospital from the back of the garden. 

We sat to enjoy the sound of cicadas.

Inside you can visit the actual room that Van Gogh stayed in.

This is the view through his window. Sadly Vincent died at 37 having only sold one painting.

The hospital is surrounded by olive groves. In the landscapes of Provence I saw what Van Gogh saw.

On our drive back from St. Remy we enjoyed passing under the canopies of plane trees once more.