Did you hear that absynthe caused Van Gogh to cut his ear off?

Question

I just heard that on the tv. Do you know if it's true? I always heard he was mentally ill. Of course, I know it will make you temporarily insane..Is this true...or are they just assuming or guessing.?

Answer 1

At this point who really knows, its too long after he died to verify anything for sure about what caused him to cut his ear off. For all we know he slipped while shaving (they used to shave with those big sling blades) and then got drunk afterwards.

I do know, he had a very infuriating life and the critics poo-pooed his artwork until after he died. From what I understand, he hated doing portraits, but he had to paint them for a living. It is enough to drive someone to drink and madness.

Answer 2

I've done a h**l of alot of things that would give VanGogh a run for his money. And I've done quite a few drugs. And I cant blame one single act on the 'drugs'.  

     They are just guessing.   Drugs are a way to self medicate, explore thought and expression, and escape your present state of mind.

     VanGogh had severe mental illness and there were many factors at play throughout his life and death.  The main psychoactive constituent of the drink is a tincture made from the wormwood tree which contains thujone. This tincture, along with other ingredients, is then brewed into an alchaholic coctail.   Its not like todays absinthe where wormwood extract is simply added to ethyl alchohol and sold as the drink.  one may never know what it was like to drink real absinthe, because it is very very very rare to find authentic drink. cerrtain countries still are allowed to produce it this way.

     Most likely he WAS under some type of influence when he actually cut off the ear.  Something that had overlubicated his judgement.  If I was drunk and I found you in bed with my girlfriend, then punched you in the face, wold you blame me, you, the girl, or the alchohol?????? Or all 4?

     Insanity is not temorary!!! trust me. They are just guessing!!!!

Answer 3

From what I have heard, he may have had tintinitis (ringing in the ears that drives you nuts)

http://www.mopedarmy.com/forums/discuss/...

or his insanity may have come from heavy metals (lead, etc) in the paints and the exposure of toxic paints on his hands and maybe l*****g the brushes occaisionally. There are other theories too...

http://www.vangoghgallery.com/misc/menta...

Answer 4

Could his family and brother Teo played a role in his depression?

Answer 5

Causation is not so simplistic as this.  Often an event has multiple causes.  Alcohol makes many of us do silly things, depending upon other circumstances.

.

Answer 6

Not exactly. It could have contributed but it wasn't the direct cause of his death... Maybe its just that during the 19th century it has gain popularity and vincent van gogh was one of its avid drinker. He was a depressed and very conceited and emotional artist that he gives so much deal with minor problems... He doesn’t know how to accept criticism. Pity he was a great painter.

Answer 7

Van gogh was very depressed and I'm sure bein drunk all the time didn't help a whole lot.... For some reason people in the US have some wierd notion about absinthe... no it doesn't make you crazy.. No it doesn't make you insane and I've drank tons and have never once hallucinated. French absinth spanish absinthe czech absinthe... if your intrested in trying some but are having trouble finding it try pastis.. It is ultimately the same thing.

Answer 8

Van Gogh was psychologically disturbed.  That's why he cut off his ear.  That's also why he killed himself.  There were thousands of people who drank absinthe who didn't kill themselves or cut off their ears.  I think this explanation is just a way to romanticize Van Gogh and absinthe.

Since it was popular with the bohemian culture absinthe was the Bogey Man of the conservative and religious temperence movement.

I've had it a few times and noticed nothing unusual.  It's just alcohol.

Answer 9

It wasnt the absynthe...he was just nutz.  Really.

Answer 10

I did not know...

Answer 11

Serious? Absynthe? That's ONE h**l OF A DRINK

Answer 12

Vincent Van Gogh had mental problems.  He had been in and out of asylums for most of his adult life.  He cut off his ear to send to a woman that he was in love with, who for obvious reasons rejected him.  The absinthe thing may be just a rumor, possibly to deter young people from drinking it.  He would have recorded it in his diary, if he had loved it.

Answer 13

Why in the world would you trust the TV news in the first place?

I'm certain it could have played a contributing role just as any alcohol can complicate and enhance depression for people already suffering from it.

If a person robs a store and is high on any type of drug (which is more often the case than not) the law (in the US anyway) doesn't allow the defense "the drugs I was on made me do it".

If you wanted to trace back the cause one would have to look at economic opportunity, poverty and numerous social factors as influences but still it comes down to a person making choices and being accountable for acting on those choices.

Any alcoholic drink in enough quantity will amplify a depressed state and if you suffer from a mental illness will often complicate or increase your symptoms.

Even certain medical conditions like diabetes can cause the consumption of large amounts of alcohol to be more harmful to you.

Now if Van Gogh was using it when he cut off his ear he could have been using it as a painkiller and a disinfectant which would show some sanity among his madness.

Psi