A “Van Gogh itinerary”, inspired by his trip to Courrières in 1880, could see the light of day very soon

Bruno Vouters and Christian Habart published the work “I walk on the path of Vincent Van Gogh” last September, which retraces the journey of the master of expressionism in the Vallée de la Scarpe and as far as Courrières in 1880. little-known expedition, which saw the birth of Van Gogh’s vocation and the artist known today throughout the world.

Valenciennes, early March 1880. A 27-year-old man with unkempt red hair and an unkempt appearance appears in the doorway of the station hall. On the square, passers-by notice less his preoccupied look than his frumpy suitcase, from which a few sketches protrude. Arriving from near Mons, in Belgium, the young Dutchman has only ten francs in his pocket and a crazy thirst for adventure.

Van Gogh is then just Vincent, a young man lost, without purpose, who simply seeks to turn his back on the life led until now. Finally, he is not really destitute, in his head a short-term objective is mapped out: to reach Courrières, home of the eminent painter Jules Breton, whose paintings with rural and popular subjects Vincent desperately admires. “At that moment, Vincent is a tired man, but full of hope of returning to the countryside and Jules Breton. He dreams of going there, meeting Breton and learning painting with him“, recounts Christian Habart, who participated in the writing of the work I walk the path of Vincent Van Goghalongside former journalist Bruno Vouters.

At that moment, Vincent is a tired man, but full of hope of returning to the countryside and Jules Breton.

Christian Habart, co-author of the book “I walk the path of Vincent Van Gogh”

Nearly 50 km as the crow flies separate the two destinations and, given his savings, the young man opts for a long journey on foot, which will take him through a northern territory in the midst of the industrial revolution.

This personal quest, begun with great enthusiasm and determination, nevertheless began with an escape.

At 27 years old, Vincent Van Gogh has already lived several lives. Following in the footsteps of his father, a pastor, the young man sometimes saw himself as a tax collector in England, sometimes an apprentice in a gallery in Paris, then a theology student in Brussels. A framework too abstract for him, who dreams of concreteness, of meetings and experiences. Vincent is then sent on a mission to the Borinage, mining country of Belgium, as an apprentice evangelist.

There, he tumbles among the miners and discovers Protestantism. But the wanderer-looking evangelist is far from wanting to preach the good word to people who live in poverty. Curious, he approaches them and blends into the crowd. Christian Habart explains the moods of the future painter: “At the time he had no future and realized that the world he came from was artificial, too academic, and did not suit him. He wants to find a new path.“

At the time he had no future and realized that the world he came from was artificial, too academic, and did not suit him. He wants to find a new path.

Finally dismissed from his mission, Vincent Van Gogh takes the road towards Courrières and catches up with his destiny.

By consulting the municipal archives of the communes of Douaisis, the letters exchanged between Vincent and his brother Théo, as well as the documents listed in journalism schools, Bruno Vouters and Christian Habart managed to retrace the path taken by the painter with great accuracy. . Their work invites the worshipers of this expressionist genius to follow in those of the vagabond of the time. The “Mining Basin mission”, which supported their research, will also create a Van Gogh trail in the years to come to explore the Nord and Pas-de-Calais through the eyes of the painter.

The two friends have hiked these trails dozens of times. Each walk is an opportunity for them to take a new look, historical, environmental or even heritage, on their route. From the Valenciennes station, Bruno and Christian know that Vincent Van Gogh has headed west and the forest of Saint-Amand, to join the towpath which runs along the Scarpe.

Vincent finds himself in the world that Zola will describe a handful of years later in Germinal.

Bruno Vouters, co-author of the book “I walk the path of Vincent Van Gogh”

Leaving the city, the adventurer will encounter the economic and industrial environment of the North, in full turmoil at the end of the 19th century. “The mine is disrupting the entire agricultural and weaving sector of the region.“, relate Bruno Vouters. “Everyone becomes a minor and the territory becomes the land of slag heaps that we know… Vincent finds himself in the world that Zola will describe a handful of years later in Germinal.“

After crossing the Raismes forest, Vincent Van Gogh meets weavers. It’s love at first sight. For Bruno, this admiration is born from his love for the mine: “He is amazed by their work and curiously he brings the weavers closer to the miners. He says both professions work in obscurity.“

This wonder for independent weavers, only around twenty practicing the profession in this period of great economic changes, would be found much later in the master’s first major paintings.

However, in 1880, the young Van Gogh did not sketch the few weavers he met in the Scarpe Valley. In a hurry, full of ambitions, the wanderer rushes towards Courrières, passing through Wallers, Hasnon or even Marchiennes. Three days of walking for Vincent, who shelters in a ditch or under a cart to spend the night. He only has two or three francs left in his pocket. Barely enough to buy a piece of bread.

And then finally, at the end of this long journey: Courrières, the city of the revered Jules Breton. But faced with the painter’s austere bourgeois house, which has now disappeared… He gives up.

“You have to imagine a very large bourgeois building, a little austere, made of northern bricks. Vincent found her off-putting, reminding him of an uncle’s house that he doesn’t like very much“, Bruno justifies. “He did not dare, or rather did not want to enter.“Surprising when you know that he traveled 200 km to get there.

You have to imagine a very large bourgeois building, a little austere, made of northern bricks. Vincent found it off-putting, reminding him of an uncle’s house that he doesn’t like very much.

“It’s terrible to think that he can open the door and talk to Jules Breton, but he doesn’t“, smiles the former journalist.

Convinced of having found his way in life after having traveled our territory, Vincent therefore undertakes the return journey. But on the path that he had just followed, it is another man who takes the road, each step bringing him a little closer to the Van Gogh with the severed ear and the 2000 masterpieces that were given to him. knows today.