Were they all side-effects? : Van Gogh and Digitalis

One of the most famous painters in the world; Vincent Van Gogh. Unfortunately, he gained his fame after his death, his works are still dazzling today. Could this successful artist’s fascinating drawings have come about thanks to some side effects? We will examine this in this article.

Gogh was Born in the Netherlands on March 30, 1853. He was the oldest surviving child of the family.  He created about 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, most of which date from the last two years of his life. Although he was born healthy, he later had psychological problems. During periods of deterioration in his health, he had a psychotic episode and in the meantime, cut off his ear. Perhaps we all know that from his famous self portrait with  bandaged ear. After this period, proper treatment has become inevitable. After a while in a mental hospital, he was given special treatment by a doctor named Paul Gachet.

Van Gogh, V. (1889). Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear. https://www.wikiart.org/en/vincent-van-gogh/self-portrait-with-bandaged-ear-1889

Relation of Gogh & Digitalis

[Photo of Digitalis purpurea (Common Foxglove)]. (n.d.). https://www.gardenia.net/plant/digitalis-purpurea-common-foxglove

Dr. Gachet is thought to have treated him with the plant foxglove, ‘Digitalis Purpurea’ in Latin. Due to its appearance, the plant takes its name from the Latin word for finger, ‘Digital’.

Digitalis Purpurea contains the active ingredient of the drug Digoxin which is used today. The main thing starts here because this drug, is used today for heart failure in order to its ion channel regulatory effect, but at that time due to the lack of modern medicine, it was used for neurological problems such as bipolar disease and epileptic seizures.

Side Effects & Art

This drug has some side effects, as with any drug. The most interesting of these is Yellow-Green Dyschromatopsy, which allows you to see the world as if wearing yellow glasses.  Of course, we do not know if he had  this side effect, but the fact that he uses too many shades of yellow in his works strengthens this hypothesis.

Van Gogh, V. (1889). Wheat Field with Reaper and Sun. https://www.wikiart.org/en/vincent-van-gogh/wheat-field-with-reaper-and-sun-1889

Van Gogh, V. (1888). Still Life – Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers. https://www.wikiart.org/en/vincent-van-gogh/still-life-vase-with-fifteen-sunflowers-1888-1

Another side effect is the halo effect, which allows you to see circular light reflections. Again, looking at his works, you can see many circular drawings.

Van Gogh, V. (1889). Olive Grove. https://www.wikiart.org/en/vincent-van-gogh/olive-grove-1889

Van Gogh, V. (1889). The Starry Night. https://www.wikiart.org/en/vincent-van-gogh/the-starry-night-1889

Although we may not know for sure that it has these side effects, the most precise evidence for this is, his most expensive work, ‘Portrait of Dr. It is Gachet’. Looking at the table in this work, which he drew his doctor, we can easily see the foxglove standing in front of the man.

Van Gogh, V. (1890). Dr. Paul Gachet. https://www.wikiart.org/en/vincent-van-gogh/dr-paul-gachet-1890

Anyway, Van Gogh has one of the most special places among artists today.  If he’s been through all this, it’s quite exciting to be able to illuminate his works like this.

References:

Onur. (2020, September 27). Van Gogh ve Digoksinin Eşsiz İlişkisi. Retrieved from https://parlakjurnal.com/van-gogh-ve-digoksinin-essiz-iliskisi/

Osman Karakuş. (2020, May 25). VAN GOGH’DA HANGİ İLACIN YAN ETKİSİ VARDI? | Eğlenceli Farmakoloji #2 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsb6bYe7UDI&feature=youtu.be

Wikipedia Contributors. (2021, April 23). Vincent van Gogh. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh#Life