Doctor Gachet Sitting at a Table with Books and a Glass with Sprigs of Foxglove 1890

This sketch of Doctor Gachet was made by Vincent van Gogh, likely in 1890 using pen and ink on paper. Van Gogh had sought out Gachet for treatment, and the image speaks volumes about the status of both doctor and patient. Made in France, the sketch reminds us that mental health treatment in the late 19th century was still relatively new and often experimental. Van Gogh’s choice of subject matter also invites us to consider the politics of imagery and questions about who is deemed worthy of representation in art. Art historians are interested in the social conditions that shape artistic production, and the institutional contexts that give art meaning. By researching medical records and social histories of the period, we can learn more about Van Gogh's experience and the broader context of mental health care in the late 19th century. This reminds us that the meaning of art is contingent on social and institutional context.