Drinking for Socializing

To analyze van Gogh’s complicated relationship with alcohol, let us trace it from the beginning, when he still considered drinking a pleasure and used it as a platform for socializing. He began indulging himself in alcohol in 1886 after joining the group of heavy drinkers that included Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Gauguin and other Post-Impressionists in Paris. They would frequent the cafés on Petit Boulevard to discuss their art over beer and absinthe (Conrad 58). Edo Marc Tralbant recorded in his biography Vincent Van Gogh that van Gogh, the once ‘anti-social pessimist… had become a lively and agreeable talker who was given to a savage humor and could entertain intelligent company’ (Tralbant 213). As Tralbant noticed, the reticent and reserved artist used alcohol to dissolve his shyness and silence, so as to loosen his tongues and lubricates his interact with his fellow painters in Paris.

Van Gogh’s appreciation of drinking as a catalyst for forming social bonds is mirrored by his early sketch titled Men in Front of the Counter in a Café (undated), which he presumably completed in Paris. Capturing the essence of the interaction between two drinkers and a barmaid, van Gogh portrays an appealing socializing scene in a café. Over the counter, three people are standing face to face, having their drinks and a discussion. We are not sure about the contents of the discourse - perhaps it was juicy inquisitive gossips or a casual leisure chat - but we can infer that it is an enjoyable conversation, as the triplet are very engaged in their talk. The man on the left is apparently in the middle of his sentence, lifting his right hand to accentuate his words. His neighboring man stretches his neck as he paid attention. The barmaid also leans her body forward to the speaking man, showing her curiosity and absorption in the dialogue. The tension in the interaction between the three people shows a strong bond of socializing during drinking. Van Gogh, who must have been there several steps behind the group to sketch the scene, was very likely intrigued as he watched their conversation, feeling ready to approach them, order a drink and join their chat. This anecdote in a café thus reflects how the once secluded artist must have valued alcohol as a means to bridge gaps and build connections between individuals.

Image: Van Gogh, Vincent. Men in Front of the Counter in a Café. Undated. Collection E. Buckman, Richmond, Virginia.