The Red Portrait of Valentine Godé-Darel, 1910
Valentine Godé-Darel with her Hair Disheveled, 1913
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In 1908 Ferdinand Hodler (1853-1918) met Valentine
Godé-Darel, who became his mistress. He made these
paintings of his beloved Valentine Godé-Darel before,
during, and after her illness. In January 1914, only 3
months after the birth of their daughter, Pauline,
Godé-Darel had an operation for a gynecologic cancer,
from which she died 1 year later. Between 1912 and 1915,
Hodler painted her many times. He documented her
wasting and eventual extinction without mercy and yet
with intense sympathy. He created a series of paintings
that force the viewer to face the process of dying.
It may be helpful to an oncologist to sense his or her
reaction to these visual stages of suffering
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The Sick, 1914
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Valentine Godé-Darel with her Hair Disheveled, 1913
link
In 1908 Ferdinand Hodler (1853-1918) met Valentine
Godé-Darel, who became his mistress. He made these
paintings of his beloved Valentine Godé-Darel before,
during, and after her illness. In January 1914, only 3
months after the birth of their daughter, Pauline,
Godé-Darel had an operation for a gynecologic cancer,
from which she died 1 year later. Between 1912 and 1915,
Hodler painted her many times. He documented her
wasting and eventual extinction without mercy and yet
with intense sympathy. He created a series of paintings
that force the viewer to face the process of dying.
It may be helpful to an oncologist to sense his or her
reaction to these visual stages of suffering
link
The Sick, 1914
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The Sick Valentine Godé-Darel, 1914
Painted after her second operation
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The Dying Valentine Godé-Darel
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The Dying Valentine Godé-Darel, 1915
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The Dying Valentine Godé-Darel, 1915
Painted one day before her death
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The Dead Valentine Godé-Darel on January 26th, 1915
Painted the day after her death
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The Dead Valentine Godé-Darel, 1915
Painted the day after her death
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Her death in January 1915 affected Hodler greatly.
He occupied himself with work; a series of about 20
introspective self-portraits date from 1916. By late 1917
his declining health led him to thoughts of suicide. He died
on May 19, 1918 in Geneva leaving behind a number of
unfinished works portraying the city
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Ferdinand Hodler in 1916
Photographer: Paul Bonzon
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Sunset at Lake Geneva, 1915
Hodler repeatedly painted this view as seen
from the place where Godé-Darel died link
Painted after her second operation
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The Dying Valentine Godé-Darel
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The Dying Valentine Godé-Darel, 1915
link
The Dying Valentine Godé-Darel, 1915
Painted one day before her death
link
The Dead Valentine Godé-Darel on January 26th, 1915
Painted the day after her death
link
The Dead Valentine Godé-Darel, 1915
Painted the day after her death
link
Her death in January 1915 affected Hodler greatly.
He occupied himself with work; a series of about 20
introspective self-portraits date from 1916. By late 1917
his declining health led him to thoughts of suicide. He died
on May 19, 1918 in Geneva leaving behind a number of
unfinished works portraying the city
link
Ferdinand Hodler in 1916
Photographer: Paul Bonzon
link
Sunset at Lake Geneva, 1915
Hodler repeatedly painted this view as seen
from the place where Godé-Darel died
4 comments:
Brutal honesty here and so brave of the artist to leave such portraits. Nurses could also benefit from the lessons seen here. Very sad and poignant but the bare truth.
Marilyn, I was also deepy touched by these paintings - and you're right; a lot of people could learn from them..I was a nurse when I was younger and still remember "my" fist dying paitent...
Thank you for the comment. I had no idea that you had a nursing career. That is something we have in common as I am a retired nurse. I also remember my first dying patient...a precious 8 year old girl with a brain tumor. Nursing is not for the faint of heart.
Oh, you were a nurse as well! Isn't that a coincidence; the both of us were nurses! I stopped when I was 30 years old and started at university...but I still bring all the things I saw as a nurse with me...and I was so lucky to work in Greenland as a nurse for some time too...and i'm so glad I did!
No, nursing is not for the faint of heart! As I grow older I often think of the people/patients I've met...
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