Still Life

Delightful talk at Charleston Farmhouse as part of the Charleston Festival looking at two books written about Van Gogh as novel and an investigation into the truth behind the ear legend.

Bernadette Murphy spoke first about her book which set out to find out the truth about the story of Van Gogh cutting off his ear. The depth of research she had done was fascinating including creating a database of all the people living in Arles at the time. Using this she worked out who the ear had been given to and she eventually found a sketch by a doctor of what was left of the ear.

Susan Fletcher talked about her novel on the end of Van Gogh’s life inspired by a painting of olive trees which made her think about how he managed to go out painting while in the asylum and how she found a character in his letters who might have accompanied him. She contrasted Van Gogh with this female character contemplating where life had gone and what to do with the life she had left.

 

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