OT: Van Gogh's death - new theory
laraine
New book out...
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/10/vincent-van-gogh-murdered-new-book-presents-different-account-of-artists-death/
Gary
This book is getting a fair amount of publicity. "60
Minutes" had a two part segment on it and the authors last
night.
Interesting theory. Also quite a handy way to "jazz up"
what would otherwise be another biography of van Gogh.
- Gary
Groundling
On Oct 18, 12:19 am, Gary <g...@shaw.ca> wrote:
> On 17/10/2011 8:44 PM, laraine wrote:
>
> > Van Gogh's death --a murder rather than a suicide?
> > New book out...
>
> This book is getting a fair amount of publicity. "60
> Minutes" had a two part segment on it and the authors last
> night.
>
> Interesting theory. Also quite a handy way to "jazz up"
> what would otherwise be another biography of van Gogh.
>
> - Gary
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7384904n&tag=contentMain;contentAux
Groundling
laraine
On Oct 17, 10:44 pm, laraine <larai...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Van Gogh's death --a murder rather than a suicide?
> New book out...
>
Thanks for the 60 Minutes reference. I
tend to not be around during that show,
so it's good to have a link to video.
I'm glad they've brought up this theory,
but I don't see that we should necessarily
accept it.
I would think that if someone really
wanted to have a gun at that time and
place, why wouldn't it be possible...
They mentioned that he was 'insane', so
probably wouldn't be allowed one, but
he was apparently epileptic, and turned
himself into the asylum after violence.
That doesn't seem like standard mental
illness.
One would have to read more, but
I get the impression that at other times,
he seems quite lucid.
I see statements made about him not being
social, his only social encounter at that
cafe being to order food --how do they
know that? He could have had small
conversations here and there, I'd think.
If they couldn't find the gun, don't see
how they could conclude that it belonged
to someone else. Farm fields can be large.
(Just heard that someone got lost in a corn
field, I think, not long ago.)
If those boys shot him, I can't believe
they would just be ignored without any
questioning. Wouldn't others at least
fear them, or believe in the law? Just
because they were rich...
As for the boy who later shared some
info, and sounded remorseful, well,
if you taunted someone, and then they
committed suicide, that could make
one feel remorseful.
Now, the location of the reported
incident could have been incorrect,
as they said, if people actually
heard the gun elsewhere. And it
makes sense that it might have
been hard for someone shot to
have walked for so long. So that
supports their theory. Who said
it occurred in a field anyway, though...
One question is whether one could
try to shoot oneself, and maybe
chicken out, and get hit in the
abdomen instead. I wonder how being
an epileptic would affect movement,
--was there any medication for it then?
Perhaps he had a gun to scare the
crows, as they said, was a bit
depressed, and just had an accident
with the gun. Or maybe his epilepsy
kicked in while he had a gun, and that
affected him.
Someone said the shot looked like it
was made from a distance --that would
support their theory too.
C.
laraine
carrying around a loaded gun in a
field if just scaring crows...
C.
Gary
On 20/10/2011 11:08 AM, laraine wrote:
>
>
> On Oct 17, 10:44 pm, laraine<larai...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Van Gogh's death --a murder rather than a suicide?
>> New book out...
>>
>> http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/10/vincent-van-gogh-murder...
>
>
> Thanks for the 60 Minutes reference. I
> tend to not be around during that show,
> so it's good to have a link to video.
>
> I'm glad they've brought up this theory,
> but I don't see that we should necessarily
> accept it.
>
> I would think that if someone really
> wanted to have a gun at that time and
> place, why wouldn't it be possible...
Especially since it was stated that the owner of the inn
where Van Gogh was living owned a gun and allegedly allowed
the children to use it.
That's what I thought, too. Especially if he had loaned
the gun he had borrowed from the innkeeper to Van Gogh.
>
> Now, the location of the reported
> incident could have been incorrect,
> as they said, if people actually
> heard the gun elsewhere. And it
> makes sense that it might have
> been hard for someone shot to
> have walked for so long. So that
> supports their theory. Who said
> it occurred in a field anyway, though...
They also said it was a long walk (albeit about half as
long as the walk from the field) from the courtyard where
the shooting allegedly occurred.
But the theory that he was shot in the courtyard is based
on an interview with someone currently living in the town
who recalled that his/her grandfather told them that he had
heard a shot that seemed to come from this courtyard. Not
the most solid evidence.
>
> One question is whether one could
> try to shoot oneself, and maybe
> chicken out, and get hit in the
> abdomen instead. I wonder how being
> an epileptic would affect movement,
> --was there any medication for it then?
> Perhaps he had a gun to scare the
> crows, as they said, was a bit
> depressed, and just had an accident
> with the gun. Or maybe his epilepsy
> kicked in while he had a gun, and that
> affected him.
>
> Someone said the shot looked like it
> was made from a distance --that would
> support their theory too.
I thought that was the strongest point of their argument.
If true, it would certainly raise questions.
Anyways, once they solve this mystery perhaps they could
turn to another: like why are Van Gogh's paintings worth
millions of dollars? I've never understood the valuation,
or the artistic value, of most modern art.
- Gary