Van Gogh suffered an attack of mental ill health in 1888, and he was detained in a mental hospital from May 1889 to May 1890. The director of the hospital, Dr. Peillon, and Van Gogh's brother, Theo, encouraged Vincent to paint in order to aid his recovery. Unable to go out to paint from life, he turned to copying other works, including photographs and engravings. # The painting depicts a group o..