The Secret of Wine Addiction Behind Van Gogh’s Phenomenal Paintings
Almost everyone has heard of the Dutch post-Impressionist painter, Vincent van Gogh. Van Gogh’s art has become famous for its expressive and colorful nature, often featuring swirling brushwork. Many are familiar with his famous piece, The Starry Night.
He is known for his emotional and turbulent life full of mental illness and tragedy. He was a passionate artist, but at times he was somewhat self-destructive. Some have even questioned whether his wine addiction could be an underlying cause of his erratic behavior.[1]
Alcoholism is a contentious topic for historians, but many experts agree that Van Gogh was a wine addict. Some argue that his passion for art fueled his addiction; others claim that he drank to escape the pain of being an outcast.
“It seems to me that the great difficulty of writing is to make the language of the educated man express what one feels. And this wine which I am drinking now, very good though it is, does not make me feel anything in particular, except that I feel a little more inclined to write.” – Vincent van Gogh
This quote comes from a letter that van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo in September 1888. In the letter, van Gogh expresses his frustration with trying to express his emotions through writing and notes that even good wine does not seem to help.
Regardless of the cause, it’s clear from reading letters and journals written by Van Gogh himself that there was no denying him his daily dose of wine.
Absinthe Addiction
Absinthe was a popular drink among painters and poets of Van Gogh’s generation. It was also known to be hallucinogenic at the time, although this has since been disproven. The beverage was outlawed in the US in 1912 because of the belief that it encouraged aggressive conduct.
Van Gogh was an avid drinker of absinthe, a strong alcoholic beverage banned in many countries due to its supposed effects on those who consumed it. Many people believe Van Gogh’s absinthe addiction led him to cut off his ear, but this is not the case. The famous artist’s self-mutilation resulted from his lifelong mental illness, which could have been exacerbated by drinking.
The Influence of Wine on the Pop Culture
Although alcohol may have fueled his creativity, it also contributed to Van Gogh’s mental health deterioration. Some artists like Edgar Degas performed better when under the influence. Vincent Van Gogh would drink to relieve the stress of creating his art. However, alcoholism damaged his mental health and led to depression and unpredictable moods.
“I’ve done a lot of studies of wine bottles and glasses, but I still have a lot to learn. It’s very difficult to get a good effect with the reflections and the transparency. I’m still learning how to paint glass.” – Vincent van Gogh
The Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh loved French wines. His phenomenal painting career was largely fueled by wine.
During an episode of mental illness and suffering from alcohol abuse and depression, Van Gogh eventually succumbed to his mental illness. He slashed his ear off with a razor blade one night in 1888[2], and threatened to repeat the act on other parts of his body, if another artist didn’t take care of him. According to Cornely and Meier, Van Gogh’s lasting manic-depressive condition ended the artist’s life.
Correlation Between Wine Addiction and Mental Disorders
Patients suffering from depression are more likely to binge drink. Similarly, heavy drinkers are more likely to experience more sadness than light or non-drinkers. A biographical study in 2011 found that Van Gogh drank nearly 5 liters (over 4 quarts) of absinthe per day as an adult[3]—that’s way more than what health experts currently recommend.
He also used other drugs such as hashish and ether-soaked cotton balls for anxiety attacks rather than visiting a doctor. These habits could have led him down an addictive path that eventually affected his mental state when combined with overindulgence in alcohol consumption.
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On this day in wine history
March 30, 1853: Van Gogh was born in Holland and spent much of his life in France. He began painting at an early age, and he was exhibiting at local art shows by the time he was 20 years old.
July 29, 1890: Vincent Van Gogh died from a gunshot wound at the age of 37 in what was believed to be a suicide.
References
[1] Paul Wolf, Clinical professor of pathology: Creativity and chronic disease Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890); West J Med. 2001 Nov; 175(5): 348.
[2] William M Runyan: Journal of Personality and Social psychology 40 (6), 1070, 1981
[3] Simon Cotton: Vincent van Gogh, chemistry and absinthe; 1 May, 2011
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