Meta-Impressionism: Art-collectors

Dr. Paul Gachet

(1828-1909)

=Paul van Ryssel

a benefactor of the impressionists

and Vincent van Gogh

 

Introduction:
This page renders short information on Dr. Paul Gachet, his relations with the impressionists, the loans to the ‘impressionist’ expositions and his art-collection.
The emphasize is on the works of the partakers of the ‘impressionist’ expositions.
Info on his relation with Vincent van Gogh will be added later.
Note: additional info and pictures will be added.

 

 

Dr. Paul Gachet (1828-1909), short biography:
Doctor, homeopath, socialist, painter, printmaker and art-collector. Born in Lille (=Ryssel = Rijsel). Used as artist name Paul van Ryssel. Friendship with realists. Joined meetings with the Impressionists in Café Guerbois and Café Nouvelle Athènes. 1871: as a doctor connected with the Commune.
1952: his collection was given to the French state and is now in the Musée d’Orsay (M1).

 

Dr. Gachet, his relations with the impressionists:
Dr. Paul Gachet had friendships with Cézanne, Guillaumin, Pissarro, Renoir and Daubigny. He supported them in their art and also offered medical suppport. Camille Pissarro wrote Dr. Gachet many times on health problems. They met at Armand Gautier, who was a youth friend of Gachet (R218I), this must have been long before 1871 (R218).

 

Dr. Gachet in Auvers-sur-Oise:
1872/04/09 Dr. Paul Gachet bought a house at Rue Rémy in Auvers-sur-Oise.
Februari 1873 Cézanne stayed with him and/or lived closeby the whole of 1873. Cézanne made several paintings here (see 1IE-1874) and depicted 3x the house of Gachet (R189,V144-146).
Daubigny (1817-78) also lived in Auvers.
In this sense one could say that Gachet was related to the School of Pontoise.

Dr. Gachet and his printing press:
Dr. Paul Gachet had in his studio (on the attic) a printing press. Cézanne, Guillaumin and Pissarro would make (in 1873) several prints on this press. Several of them were published in Paris à l’eau-forte in which Dr. Gachet also was involved. They were namely published in nr.22 (1873/08/24) and 23 (1873/08/31) and also in no.27 (1873/09/28) +31 (1873/10/26) +32 (1873/11/02).
Part of the engravings collection of Dr. Gachet was auctioned at Hôtel Drouot 1993/05/15 (R179,p358).
See etchings of Guillaumin: R179,D6+7+8+10+11; R310,cat.no.33-36 +39;

 

Dr. Gachet, lender to the ‘impressionist’ expositions:
Dr. Paul Gachet did loan 2 paintings to the 1st ‘impressionist exposition’ in 1874: 1 of Cézanne (no.43) and 1 of Guillaumin (no.66).
Some works exhibited were later obtained by him, like 1IE-1874-64 and 3IE-1877-71 of Guillaumin.

 

Dr. Gachet and Vincent van Gogh:
In 1890 Dr. Paul Gachet treated Vincent van Gogh, who also would make some prints on his press, including a portrait of Dr. Gachet.

 

Paul van Ryssel, as an artist:
Dr. Paul Gachet als was an artist himself. He used the artist name Paul van Ryssel, referring to his city of birth: Lille (=Ryssel = Rijsel).
1891: exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants.
The Musée d’Orsay renders 18 art-works made by Paul Gachet (M1). Many are copies of paintings of other artists (he owned himself).

 

Dr. Gachet, overview collection:
Dr. Paul Gachet once owned the following art-works:
of Cézanne (at least): R189,V66 (=R48,no127) +67 (=R48,no128) +104 (=R48,no35) + 145 (=R48,no145) +179 (=R48,no216) +183 (=R48,no213) +225 (=R48,no250).
of Guillaumin: R124,CR5↓ +20↑↑ +51↑↑; R310,cat.no12 +14 +25 +32 +39 +45 +46 +49; R179,G4 +G3↑↑;
of Monet: CR492; bought 1878/12 for 50fr (R22,no492).
of Pissarro: CCP81 +95 +100 +182 +218 +221 +224 +232 +234 +431 +563 +836 (R116III,p942).
of Sisley: CCPP17=D16 bought from Gandoin (R396,no17).
The Musée d’Orsay renders 132 art-works that were once owned by Dr. Paul Gachet, including works made by himself (M1). This includes 18 works of Van Gogh (M1); 12 of Cézanne (M1); 6 of Guillaumin (M1); 3 of Pissarro (M1); 1 of Monet (=CR492; M1); 1 of Renoir (=1D276=2F312; M1); 1 of Sisley (=CCPP17); this collection includes 44 paintings (M1); note: the 32 works made by Blanche Derousse were namely copies of paintings made by other artists (owned by Gachet) (M1); the collection also includes 17 graphic works not made by Gachet or Derousse (M1).

 

 

Sources:
The following Catalogues Raisonnés (or extended catalogues):
of Cézanne by Pissarro & Venturi (1936 =PV=R189); by Rewald, Feilchenfeldt & Warman (1996; =RFW=R118); Feilchenfeldt, Warman & Nash (online: cezannecatalogue; =FWN=iR194)
Guillaumin by Serret & Fabiani (1971 =CR=SF=R124);
of Monet by Wildenstein (1996 =CR=R22=R127)
of Morisot by Bataille (1960 =1CR=R100); Clairet, Rouart & Montlant (1997 =2CR=CRM=R186)
of Pissarro by Venturi (1939 =V=R126); by Pissarro and Durand-Ruel (2005 =CCP =R116)
of Renoir by Daulte (1971 =1CR=R108); by Fezzi (1968 =1F=R193=R30); by Fezzi (1985 =2F=R190); by Dauberville (2007-14 =2CR=2D=R185)
of Sisley by Daulte (1959 =CR=R129); by Brame & Lorenceau (2021 =CCPP=R396)
Other important sources: R3,p663; R5,p78; R2,p120; R90II,p289; R179,p322; R46+62+113; R116I,p138+140-142; R34,p35; R179,p322; R218; R395,p56 +fig.37; R48;

 

 

Recommanded citation: “Meta-Impressionism, art-collectors: Dr. Paul Gachet, a supporter of the impressionists. Last modified 2026/05/13. https://www.impressionism.nl/dr-paul-gachet/”

 

Note: additional info and pictures will be added.