The Arts Society, Isle of Wight, will be presenting the last lecture of its season on TUESDAY 6th JUNE at 2.00pm, at Northwood House, Cowes

What happened at The Yellow House in Arles By Julian Halsby

In October 1888 Paul Gauguin arrived in Arles to stay at the Yellow House with Vincent van Gogh. At first the friendship worked well and the two artists went out to paint in the countryside around Arles. They also painted side by side on the Alyscamps, an old Roman burial ground, and even shared a model, both painting Madame Genoux ‘The Arlesienne’. However divisions soon appeared. Gauguin tried to persuade van Gogh to paint from memory which van Gogh found difficult and unsatisfactory. Gauguin found van Gogh’s wild enthusiasms and constant talking about art and the future difficult to accept and disliked his impetuous way of painting.

Van Gogh became increasingly jealous of Gauguin’s success with the local women and the fact that he was selling pictures through Theo van Gogh, while Vincent could sell nothing. Everything came to a head on December 23rd 1888 when Gauguin fled the Yellow House fearing for his life, while van Gogh cut off part of his ear and delivered it in a box to the local brothel. Much has been written about this episode, but who was to blame and what really happened?

A fascinating lecture which discusses the two artists’ different approach to painting and surveys the results of this confrontation.

Julian Halsby studied History of Art at Cambridge. Formerly Senior Lecturer and Head of Department at Croydon College of Art. Publications include Venice - the Artist's Vision (1990, 1995), The Art of Diana Armfield RA (1995), Dictionary of Scottish Painters (1990, 1998, 2001, 4th edition 2010), A Hand to Obey the Demon's Eye (2000), Scottish Watercolours 1740-1940 (1986, 1991), A Private View - David Wolfers and the New Grafton Gallery (2002). Interviews artists for the Artist Magazine and is a member of the International Association of Art Critics and The Critics Circle. A practicing artist, he was elected to the Royal Society of British Artists in 1994 and appointed Keeper in 2010.

There are places for visitors at all lectures for £10 per person but booking must be made in advance to [email protected]

Most Lectures are now also broadcast on Zoom for members who for some reason cannot attend in person