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Was Vincent Van Gogh murdered by a gang of children?
By Ben ReiningaOctober 17th, 2011, 3:45 pmComments (18)
The art world hasn't had this much excitement since Marina Abramovic filled the MoMa with dozens of real-live naked ladies. A new book, which popped up for the first time last night on 60 Minutes, claims that Vincent Van Gogh did not actually commit suicide, as everyone has believed for the last 120 years, but rather was shot by a group of local children.
The theory was proposed by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith in their new book, Vincent Van Gogh: A Life. A few days before his death, Vincent staggered up to the inn where he lived with a bullet wound in his stomach. (He eventually died from it, after a few days in the hospital.) According to the book, doctors noted that the bullet seemed to have been shot from a gun a good distance from the artist's body, and when the police asked him if he'd shot himself, he said "I believe so" and then asked them not to accuse anyone else, as if protecting the guilty.
The evidence for the gang-of-evil-children theory, however, does have a few holes: while there were some local teens who teased and tormented Van Gogh, and while they might have had a gun, there were no eyewitnesses. And as inclined as I am to believe that kids are mean and capable of anything, that's hardly waterproof evidence that they shot him.
Art historians have been quick to point out that this theory, if it true, doesn't really require a massive re-thinking of the artist's work. He was either a depressive man who struggled with mental illness and then walked into a wheat field and shot himself in the chest... or, a depressive crazy man who got shot by a bunch of kids and then covered up for them, in essence because they'd done him a favor. A miserable, sad, crazy man, any way you slice it.
Commentarium (18 Comments)
Maybe he was shot by a time-traveling Islamic radical.
he was shot by a time-traveling Nerve conservatroll.
Having psychiatric conditions doesn't make you a "miserable, sad, crazy man" very poor way of ending this article. I guess you don't kmow VVG enough, or the vast colection of letters he wrote back and forth with is brother Theo. Get some respect. Or at least, do a better job.
Oh, come on. VVG (as you so chummily call him) was definitely sad, miserable, and crazy. He cut off his own earlobe and was sent to a psych ward at St. Remy. And, in fact, according to dear Theo, his dying words were "The sadness will last forever."
Good at painting flowers? Yes. Joyous man? No.
Leave your ears intact, paint lot of flowers and be joyous seems to be your standard of artistic merit? Maybe too many hours of Judge Judy? Your comments remind me of the articulate mind of "Mongo" in Blazing Saddles riding a bull. The words YES and NO were painted on each cheek of the bull's ass.
Hahaha
I don't think anyone is reading anything anyone writes.
He was shot by the one-armed guy from "The Fugitive"
I'm a nurse.Perhaps he was bipolar or something else.Mental illnesses aren't any fun,and sadly there isn't much we can do with them,even nowadays.It's okay to have a sense of humor,as long as you're aware that these people have feelings too!Wish we knew more about the brain.AT any rate,Van Gogh was a brilliant artist.If he did have an abdominal gunshot wound,it's a painful way to die!What a shame.If he had lived longer,there would have been more wonderful art!
" He only had himself to blame"
I find it very sad that 'we' can point the fingers and frown at someone elses misery and even blame them for it. It shows that nowaday there is no respect anymore - EVERYONE deserves respect. I honestly don't want to find out how it feel to have a gunshot wound. Selfinflicted or not. But I agree with Lisa wonderful art.
A miserable, sad, crazy man? Why is not o.k. to disparage minorities, disabled people, gays, etc? However people with neurobiological disorders are fair game? Words like crazy, nuts, whacko, psycho, ad nauseum are hateful, ignorant labels aimed at a segment of the population least likely to defend itself! Why is this type of prejudice still accepted? And why is this article not considered a hate crime? Remember Mr. Reininga you spot it, you got it! Shame on you!
God-damn, I'm gonna have to change it to 'Scary Scary Night' now.
its not so much that you said what you said, Reininga, its that the idea he was 'A miserable, sad, crazy man...' is your final assessment of him in your article. how about the fact that he was one of the geniuses of the last 12o years? or that he re-shaped THE DIRECTION OF MODERN ART?? or that his works hang in some of the most important museums in THE WORLD?? you could throw the guy a bone. i mean compared to your drivel-sh*t little article, i think you owe him at least that much.
Art is subjective. And most of you assholes are taking it way to literally. Nobody owes our buddy VVG a blow job. And calling him crazy is not a hate crime. Clearly Chaz has some issues he needs work out, perhaps with a mental health professional that can help paranoid narcissistic nut jobs.
What the hell? "Miserable and sad" does not discredit him as an artist. Neither does "crazy." Those have LONG been traits associated with him. If anything, BR is suggesting that Van Gogh NOT suiciding doesn't counter his rep.
People really don't read for comprehension at ALL, do they?
lol at people white knighting for a dead artist.
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