Did Van Gogh’s brother Theo have syphilis?

For a few years it was thought to be distasteful to recommend that Theo van Gogh, the painter’s brother, died of syphilis. Theo’s son, named Vincent after his inventive uncle, lived till 1978. Understandably, he disliked any point out of the subject.

Because the demise of Theo’s son, his descendants have turn into extra relaxed concerning the medical analysis. The Van Gogh Museum’s annotated model of the artist’s letters now data that by September 1890 Theo was in “the superior levels of syphilis”.

However when did Theo first realise that he had caught the dreaded illness? And did he inform his brother Vincent? Solutions to those questions may throw recent mild on the artist’s suicide.

In Could 1888, a number of months after Vincent’s arrival in Arles, Theo wrote a few medical session he had had in Paris with Dr David Gruby. Vincent responded that he was “upset” by the ensuing information.

Vincent went on to allude to the truth that his brother was taking potassium iodide. This medicine was broadly utilized in circumstances of cerebral syphilis, though it was additionally prescribed for different circumstances. Vincent added that he was anticipating Dr Gruby would have suggested his brother “to not see ladies”. Vincent additionally referred to Theo’s “coronary heart” situation, and one wonders whether or not this may presumably have been a euphemism for a illness that Theo had caught from a sexual companion.

It appears probably that Theo, who additionally had different medical issues (together with a power cough), was identified by Dr Gruby as having developed syphilis.

Eight months later Vincent painted a nonetheless life which prominently depicted a duplicate of the Manuel Annuaire de la Santé, a well-liked well being handbook by F.V. Raspail. Though Vincent was presumably primarily involved along with his personal well being (each bodily and psychological), having simply mutilated his ear, this guide does embody a five-page part on “secret illnesses, venereal, syphilitic”.

To briefly clarify the household circumstances, in April 1889 Theo had married Jo Bonger. A month later Vincent moved to a psychological asylum simply exterior Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. The toddler Vincent, the son of Theo and Jo, was born in January 1890. In Could 1890 Vincent left the asylum to remain within the village of Auvers-sur-Oise, north of Paris. And, tragically, on 27 July 1890 Vincent shot himself within the chest, dying two days later.

Theo, who was heartbroken by Vincent’s demise, then fell critically unwell firstly of October 1890, simply over two months after his brother’s suicide. Theo endured horrible struggling and was usually violent in his previous couple of weeks. He died on 25 January 1891, aged simply 33.

Medical data opened as much as researchers in 1992 affirm that Theo had suffered from dementia paralytica, a symptom of late-stage syphilis. The neurologist Piet Voskuil, who has studied Theo’s situation, believes that he may have caught the illness as far again in 1886.

A key query which has not often been explored within the Van Gogh literature is whether or not Theo’s medical prognosis was an element behind Vincent’s suicide.

Vincent could nicely have discovered about issues over syphilis whereas he was residing with Theo in Paris from February 1886 to February 1888. An preliminary analysis from this era seems to have been confirmed by Dr Gruby in Could 1888, after Vincent’s transfer to Arles. Vincent will need to have discovered extra within the spring of 1890, when the 2 brothers met once more. It was hardly a simple topic to broach by letter.

Vincent met Theo on three events in 1890: he stayed with him in Paris for 4 days in mid Could on his manner from Saint-Rémy to Auvers; Theo, alongside along with his spouse and toddler son, visited him for the day in Auvers on 8 June; and Vincent went on a day journey to Paris on 6 July. The 2 brothers had been very shut and it’s extremely probably that they might have mentioned medical points once they met.

By the spring of 1890 Theo’s situation had worsened. Syphilis was then incurable, resulting in demise in probably the most disagreeable of circumstances. Solely from the Thirties would penicillin present a treatment.

Vincent had presumably discovered by the spring of 1890 that Theo’s syphilis had been confirmed and his well being was deteriorating, so he would have been extraordinarily distressed. Theo’s approaching demise would have little doubt represented a terrific private loss for Vincent.

It will additionally imply the lack of the monetary allowance that he had acquired from Theo for a few years. This cash had given him the means to pursue a profession as an artist, since he had failed dismally to promote his work. Artwork meant every part to Vincent, however with out this monetary help he can be unable to proceed.

On the day of his arrival in Auvers in Could 1890, after his 4 days with Theo in Paris, Vincent had a session with Dr Paul Gachet, a medical practitioner, beginner artist and collector. The physician’s son later wrote that his father recorded that Vincent suffered from “syphilomanie non fondée” (unfounded phobia of syphilis).

There is no such thing as a proof that Vincent had syphilis, however he presumably bombarded the physician with questions on it—not for himself, however due to issues about his brother.

Suicidal behaviour is advanced and may not often be attributed to a single trigger. Theo and his spouse Jo had been dealing with a sequence of sensible issues which nervous Vincent: Jo and the infant had different medical points, Theo had a row along with his employers on the gallery the place he labored, and the married couple had been undecided on whether or not they need to endure the disruption of shifting to a different condo. July 1890 was a aggravating time for the entire household.

Extra considerably, Vincent had lengthy suffered from a way of rejection by society, usually giving him an intense feeling of loneliness. Regardless of his deep dedication to artwork, he was unable to promote his work. This led him to remorse that Theo was having to help him, significantly after his brother had married and had a younger youngster to take care of. And after mutilating his ear in Arles, Vincent was all the time nervous {that a} comparable incident may recur.

Nonetheless, a worry that Theo may solely have a number of extra months to reside would have prompted Vincent even better despair. Syphilis was what Raspail, in his guide, known as a “secret illness”. It was not one thing that may very well be simply mentioned, so not surprisingly there’s by no means any direct point out within the surviving correspondence of both Vincent or Theo.

It’s nearly sure that Theo had syphilis—and it’s extremely probably that Vincent had discovered of this by spring 1890. This was in all probability one of many explanation why he determined to finish his life, taking pictures himself on 27 July whereas within the wheatfields. 

Devastated by the information, Vincent’s sudden demise will need to have weakened any resolve that Theo might need needed to attempt to cling onto life. The 2 brothers now relaxation facet by facet within the cemetery at Auvers, their graves linked by a masking of ivy.