Corridor in the Asylum

Corridor in the Asylum is a highly significant drawing created by Vincent van Gogh in 1889, during his voluntary confinement at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. This period was crucial for the development of his distinctive expressive style, documented through works that closely examine the institutional interiors he inhabited. Unlike the thickly painted canvases produced concurrently, this work utilizes brush and oils applied thinly over black chalk on pink laid paper. This unusual combination highlights the artist's resourcefulness and his technical versatility as both a draftsman and a painter.

The subject matter offers a stark, immediate view into the architecture of the hospitals where Gogh sought treatment. The composition emphasizes the deep perspective of the hallway, utilizing vigorous, short lines and defining marks typical of his mature drawing technique. Although classified primarily as a drawing, the application of diluted oils imparts a nuanced tonal quality, transforming the simple geometry of the corridor into an emotionally resonant interior space. This focus on institutional settings and hospitals reflects the artist’s intense observation of his immediate environment during a time of great personal turbulence.

This important piece resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As the copyright for the artist has expired, the image is considered part of the public domain, ensuring that high-quality prints and reproductions are readily available worldwide for study and appreciation. The intensity of Gogh’s vision, even when depicting ordinary architecture, continues to make works like this a central subject of study in Post-Impressionism.