Van Gogh on his illness

Van Gogh, 'Portrait of Joseph Roulin', 1888

From a letter dated February 3, 1889:

“When I came out of hospital with good old Roulin, I fancied there’d been nothing wrong with me, it was only afterwards I felt I’d been ill. Well, that’s only to be expected, I have moments when I am twisted with enthusiasm or madness or prophecy, like a Greek oracle on his tripod. I display great presence of mind then in my words, and speak like the Arlesiennes, but in spite of all that, my spirits are very low.”
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