Vincent van Gogh drank alcohol in excess, and more specifically his drinking of the potent alcohol absinthe, also referred to as “the Green Fairy,” it was said to trigger hallucinations and delirium. It was believed by some to cause drinkers to see a an orange hue around objects that some believe is visible in works such as Starry Night. But more recent research has revealed that the quantity of absinthe consumed has to be very large in order to achieve this effect This is why it’s likely not the cause of Van Gogh’s yellow hues. Absinthe drinking was quite popular among the art world at the time of Van Gogh’s and his drinking of the drink came as no unexpected.
There’s some debate over the health issues that plagued Van Gogh’s lifetime; however, regardless of accurate diagnosis the fact that alcohol will have contributed to the problem. Many experts believe that his art and letters reveal the characteristics of an absinthe-addict. Van Gogh was aware of the effects that alcohol had on his personality, yet he decided to drink it nonetheless.
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In a letter addressed to Theo on the 29th of June 1888 the artist Van Gogh wrote,
“After it, however, the sole option to ease the tension and disorientation, in my situation as well as others and others, is to shock yourself with lots of alcohol or heavy smoking.”
Alcohol is certain to have played a part in Van Gogh’s erratic behavior and his delusions and hallucinations. While the belief was that it could possess therapeutic properties, it was banned for a number of years in various countries , and the authorities made use of Van Gogh’s “madness” as evidence of the negative effects of the drug. A fellow artist, Cezanne said to Van Gogh, “Sir, you paint like you’re a madman.” Van Gogh also admitted that a portion of his bizarre behavior may be the result of drinking alcohol,
“Meanwhile you are aware that if alcohol was undoubtedly was one of the major reasons for my madness, it began to manifest slowly and will fade away in a slow manner, as long as it actually goes away in the right direction, of course. It’s the same when it is caused by smoking. It is my only wish that it is a result of this recovery (probably a word was left out here] of the horrifying belief system of some people regarding alcohol, and that they insist on not ever to smoke or drink.”
The theory is that during the time spent in Arles when he was at Arles, in the Yellow House with Paul Gauguin Van Gogh’s drinking was at the highest level. Van Gogh lived an eccentric life with absinthe as a constant drink. He would draw outside in the evening with candles in his hat. He removed a small portion of the ear and hid it in the brothel of a girl known as Rachel who told that she should “keep this thing as it was a treasure”. In the aftermath of the incident, the artist was taken to an asylum. The inhabitants of Arles have signed an appeal to remove Van Gogh to leave the town.