Whether the artist had epilepsy remains up for debate, but the authors write that it’s possible he experienced focal epilepsy-a neurological disorder that can manifest as anxiety, delusions and hallucinations. Still, he adds, the team’s “bottom-up” approach of investigating all potential symptoms through structured diagnostic interviews can probably “safely rule out some previously suggested diagnoses”-including schizophrenia, carbon monoxide poisoning and the rare metabolic disease porphyria-and identify “several illnesses that suffered from” with “more or less” certainty. Nolen of the University Medical Center Groningen says, “We were not able to interview the patient personally, which means that we must exercise caution in our conclusions.” The authors themselves acknowledge the tenuous nature of their diagnosis. Vincent van Gogh, Café Table With Absinthe, 1887 Speaking with artnet News’ Sarah Cascone, a Van Gogh Museum representative cautioned against viewing the new findings as a definitive diagnosis, explaining, “The medical diagnosis of historical figures is full of pitfalls, and our Van Gogh experts are still hesitant when it comes to drawing firm conclusions.” Following his hospitalization for the injury, the artist may have experienced delirium-a state of abrupt, disruptive confusion and lack of awareness-brought on by alcohol withdrawal. They suggest that alcohol addiction, malnutrition and rising social tensions exacerbated these conditions, leading van Gogh to cut off his own ear. Per a statement from the Netherlands’ University Medical Center Groningen, researchers drew on interviews with three art historians and an assessment of 902 of the artist’s letters to determine that he likely suffered from bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. Now, a new study published in the International Journal of Bipolar Disorders outlines another explanation for the unexpected act, as well as the broader emotional turmoil experienced by van Gogh prior to his suicide in 1890. Among other theories, experts have posited that van Gogh mutilated himself after learning of his beloved brother Theo’s engagement, fighting with friend and fellow artist Paul Gauguin, or suffering from incessant hallucinations.Īccording to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the artist “could later recall nothing about the event.” In a January 1889 letter to Theo, van Gogh wrote, “I’ve just had a simple artist’s bout of craziness.” Much about the night of December 23, 1888, remains unclear, with scholars disagreeing over everything from the events preceding the incident to whether the Dutch painter cut off the entirety of his ear or just a part of it. Observers were understandably concerned, and when police arrived at the injured artist’s house in Arles, France, the following day, they had him admitted to the hospital. The day before Christmas Eve 1888, Vincent van Gogh cut off his left ear and gave it to a woman at a brothel for safekeeping.
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