Van Gogh's two paintings of the hospital in Arles, created after he mutilated his ear, are being lent from the Oskar Reinhart Collection in Winterthur, Switzerland, to the Courtauld Gallery in London for the exhibition "Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection" (14 February–26 May). The works—"The Courtyard of the Hospital at Arles" and "The Ward in the Hospital at Arles"—were both acquired in the 1920s by Swiss collector Oskar Reinhart and have rarely been lent due to restrictions that have now been modified. The museum in Winterthur is temporarily closed for renovations, enabling this loan.
This exhibition matters because it offers a rare public viewing of two intimately connected Van Gogh works that document a pivotal moment in his life—his recovery after self-mutilation and the departure of Paul Gauguin. The paintings reveal the artist's resilience and creative vitality despite severe mental distress, and their loan signals a shift in the lending policy of the Oskar Reinhart Collection, making masterpieces more accessible to international audiences.