Absinthe Blog

There are speculations that Gogh was not only addicted to absinthe but a varieties of turpenes, the chemical liquid commonly used as a paint thinner. Many a times, when Gogh’s physical suffering due to epileptic seizures became unbearable, he tried to commit suicide by drinking kerosene or paints. The lead present in the paints used by Gogh also found its way into his body, as Gogh was habituated to nibble the paint chips while painting, totally unaware of the havoc that lead poisoning was having on his already frail body. Though he survived such suicide attempts, before he ultimately met his fateful end in 1890, he suffered from serious lead poisoning. Lead poisoning was also known to cause people to see “haloes” a medical condition termed as corona. “The Starry Nights”, one of Gogh’s well known paintings abounds in such haloes.

Gogh had an unusual style of painting as he painted with a sense of urgency, quite unlike the painters of those times. He used colors directly from the tubes containing the paints and spread the colors using thick strokes of the brush, creating somewhat of a graphic effect. It is reported that he created one painting a day in the last 70 days of his life. Some reports suggest that van Gogh succeeded in selling only one painting in his entire life, but it is believed that he sold many more paintings.

One of Gogh’s well known incidences for which people know him better than for his paintings, is that under the influence of absinthe, he ripped off his left ear (the lower part of the ear) and offered it to a prostitute. But some art historians say that he actually committed this act out of anguish at losing a very dear colleague, who was a fellow painter by the name Paul Gauguin, with whom Gogh spent a significant part of his life. It is believed that once under the influence of absinthe, Gogh made a life threatening attack on Paul. This, and many other instances of erratic behavior of Gogh with his friend Paul, mostly under the influence of absinthe and alcohol, finally caused Paul to part ways with Gogh, who after their separation again became a loner.

Though Gogh was known to be an avid absinthe fan, his vast collection of letters did not speak highly about absinthe and the absinthe drinkers, contradicting his love and addiction for the drink further adding to the mystery of van Gogh and the role of absinthe in his life and art.

Medical reports suggested that drinking absinthe or any other alcohol made van Gogh more erratic and more susceptible to bouts of depression and manic attacks. It was perhaps during one such occasion that he committed suicide in 1890 and the world lost an artist, whose “Expressionistic” style of painting inspired by the work of the impressionists of his era, would, many years after his death, would win him wide acclaim and appreciation, a feeling for which he craved his entire life!

Absinthe was known to have fascinated many illustrious artists of the nineteenth and twentieth century. Their interest in absinthe lay either as an alcoholic drink that they relished or as a subject to be depicted in some their memorable art work. Some of the renowned artists that favored absinthe as their drink included poet Verlaine, the Bohemian poet who belonged to Paris, Charles Cros, the poet who regularly frequented absinthe cafes of Paris, Ernest Hemingway, the distinguished writer besides celebrated painters like Manet, Degas, Pablo Piccaso and Vincent van Gogh.

Perhaps no other artist has been more closely linked to absinthe than the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, better known as van Gogh. Gogh had a very short life, spanning only thirty seven years from 1853 to 1890. History has it that van Gogh had a difficult life, plagued with many diseases. However, despite his physical debility, van Gogh worked very hard on his paintings and tried hard to become famous and seek his place under the sun. It was an irony that while all his short life’s hard work did not bring him any fame, many years after his death, 113 years to be precise, his style of painting and scheme of colors used in the paintings, won him global acclaim.

Many reports suggest that Gogh was a fervent absinthe drinker and the thujone content in absinthe was thought to have aggravated his physical ailments, as Gogh suffered from epilepsy, reportedly caused due to the aggravation of a lesion that Gogh had in his brain at the time of his birth. His temporal lobe epilepsy was the reason behind the frequent seizures that Gogh suffered during his entire life. One of Gogh’s physicians, Dr. Gachet, prescribed the drug digitalis to Gogh as a cure for his epileptic seizures and medical studies on digitalis suggest that it caused one to see yellow circles or “haloes” around many things. This side effect of the digitalis drug is related to the depiction of yellow spots in many of Gogh’s paintings by some art historians. Though there is no evidence to prove that digitalis was administered to Gogh by his physician, it is said that Gogh, in a couple of his paintings, drew his physician holding the plant Digitalis purpure, believed to be the natural source of digitalis.

Gogh’s affinity to absinthe was an attempt to reduce his physical suffering, caused due to the epileptic attacks and bouts of depression that he suffered very frequently. Going by the medical speculations on Gogh’s physical and mental health, it appears that though drinking absinthe must have given Gogh temporary relief from his pain and suffering, the thujone in absinthe only deteriorated his physical and mental well being. Continued use of thujone is said to make people see things in the yellow hue, a medical condition referred to as xanthopsia, another pointer towards the fact that it was possibly for this reason that Gogh favored yellow colour in most of his works.

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This question mostly goes unanswered whenever we read any article with regard to absinthe drinks. The fact is that people are only busy marketing this extraordinary liquor but none is interested in revealing the reality whether absinthe is harmful or not.

Yes absinthe is harmful only if it is drunk beyond permissible limits. However the scenario is same when we compare absinthe brands with all other alcohol brands. Alcohol in excess cause’s harmful effects on health and this is the universal truth. While in contrast, it has also been proved that correct dosage or proper intake of alcohol can be also useful. So alcohol beverages cannot be subjected to be only a material for excitement. However whether it is vodka or rum or absinthe, all alcohol containing beverages should be consumed in moderate amounts. Besides quality absinthe liquor contains near about 70 percent strength of alcohol, hence special care while consumption is advised.

Absinthe with thujone content

Another chief doubt is linked with harmful thujone presence in absinthe alcohol. It should be noted that most reputed absinthe distributors sell absinthe liquors with very low level of thujone. Moreover the governments in most countries have restricted the percentage of thujone to specified safe limit. In addition modern distillers have made great efforts to drastically reduce thujone element in absinthe drinks. Eventually the modern day quality absinthe drinks is utterly safe for intake.

Absinthe as an herbal drink

Absinthe was banned decades back after false allegations levied against it. Basically absinthe is more of an herbal drink than a strong bitter alcohol. Absinthe making is performed by distilling the herbs like grand wormwood, green anise, fennel, hyssop and Melissa. Also depending upon the region of production, additional herbs like star anise, juniper, coriander and angelica are blended. Each of these herbs added contributes to produce a distinguished blend. Even the charming green color of absinthe liquor is created with chlorophyll (from herbs) acting as coloring agent.

Thus the point is - how can a drink with so many mixed valuable herbs be poisonous?

Certainly not, therefore absinthe drinking is similar like intake of any quality drink. But cheap quality or very low priced absinthe can be highly dangerous. In fact even home made absinthe kits cannot be relied upon. In the end always buy absinthe alcohol which is rich in quality content from a trusted source. Be a wise consumer to remain contented.