Van Gogh in the Borinage, the emergence of an artist

Van Gogh and the Borinage: The turning point towards art

Convinced that he had an evangelical mission, Vincent van Gogh arrived in the Borinage in December 1878. He settled in Wasmes in February 1879 as an evangelist, but his contract was not renewed, primarily due to his difficulties with speaking. Refusing to abandon his mission, he moved to Cuesmes in August 1879, where he continued to preach voluntarily.

A period of doubt and transformation

Initially staying with Édouard Joseph Francq and later with the Decrucq family (in what is now the Van Gogh House), he went through an identity crisis after losing his position. He stopped corresponding with his family for almost a year and dedicated himself to drawing, finding inspiration in his surroundings and the industrial landscapes.

From evangelization to art

In June 1880, Van Gogh resumed contact with his brother Théo, who provided him with financial support. In August, he confided in Théo that he wanted to become an artist. Determined, he relentlessly studied drawing manuals and the works of Jean-François Millet, while asking his brother for prints of engravings. Feeling restricted in his room at the Decrucq house, he decided to leave the Borinage for Brussels in November 1880 to surround himself with artists and refine his technique.

The works from the Borinage

Few of Van Gogh's creations from this period have been preserved, as he himself destroyed much of his work. Among those that remain, we find:

• The coke factory La Gagane in Flénu (summer 1879) – Preserved at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
• Miners in the Snow – A sketch attached to a letter addressed to his brother Théo in September 1880.
• The Reaper, after Jean-François Millet – Exhibited at the Uehara Museum of Modern Art in Japan.
• The Spaders, also inspired by Millet – Created in Brussels and preserved at the Artothek of Mons.

A lasting influence

The Borinage was not only a stage in Van Gogh's life but also an artistic turning point. Fascinated by the lives of miners, workers, and peasants, he immortalized their daily lives and modest homes. His admiration for Jean-François Millet, which was already evident during this period, would influence his work later in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Auvers-sur-Oise.

Even today, the influence of the Borinage resonates in the work of the Dutch master.

Good to know

The Borinage takes its name from the "borins", the coal miners who shaped the history of this region. Though it is greener today than one might imagine, it was once a major hub of the mining industry. Coal extraction began as early as the 13th century, but it was in the 19th century, with the industrial revolution, that the Borinage reached its peak.

As the first coal basin in Europe, the region saw miners digging ever deeper, exposed to grisou explosions – accidental gas explosions that caused numerous casualties. This was a time of extreme poverty and social struggles, despite the economic boom of the mining industry.

It was within this historical context that Vincent van Gogh settled in the Borinage.