Mental illness is debilitating but it is associated with certain symptoms. In the case of Vincent, he showed certain behaviors associated with people with mental illness. Consequently, based on his documented behavior, work of art, lifestyle choices, among others, it is possible to diagnose someone with mental illness for someone who is no longer living. One of the self-portraits by Vincent van Gogh is the following.
It is believed to be his last portrait and he produced it as a gift to his mother. Based on his facial features, it is evident that the image captures his inner feelings at the time of he produced the portrait. One of the striking things about Vincent van Gogh is his liking for creating self-portraits. In those works of art, he probably derived a certain measure of satisfaction and healing. In the image above, Vincent van Gogh looks anxious and unsure of himself. While his eyes look sharp and deep blue, his mind appears depressed and unusable. The intensity in his gaze is might indicate mental instability or an anxious disposition.
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Another sign of possible mental illness from the portrait is the shabby appearance and general disposition. His face appears unkempt and rough, which is often a sign of someone struggling with mental health issues. Depression is associated with lack of interest in ordinary activities and interaction with others. In the absence of the interest in daily activities, he might have allowed himself to remain unkempt. That fact is evidence in the face of the artist (Wolf, 2001). There is a huge crawl on his face, which is indicative of an inner mental turmoil. If his mental status were brighter, he would have appeared more relaxed and his facial muscles less tight.
Poor mental health often leads to the dissociation in which a person disconnects from his thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of identity (Nolen, 2018). In this image, Vincent van Gogh does not appear to have thoughts or feelings. In the majority of cases, when people take portraits or selfies, they tend to the show certain emotions such as happiness, sadness, and similar emotions. Emotional intensity is therefore important as it communicates inner thoughts. However, in this case, the artist only shows a strong gaze without accompanying feelings. Without those feelings, his self of identify is lost and the artists might have prepared those images to see how he appeared to others.
In conclusion, it is possible to diagnose mental illness in a person who is no longer living but has left records. Vincent van Gogh left a massive amount of records such as images and written documents in the form of letters in which he shared his most intimate feelings. However, in this analysis based on the image selected, Vincent van Gogh appeared mentally troubled. His gaze lacks emotion and self-identity. The face is also unkempt and scowled suggesting the presence of an inner turmoil created by depression or prolonged period of anxiety or bi-polar disorder. That information and others such as recorded case of self-harm and eventual suicide demonstrates that Vincent van Gogh suffering from poor mental health.
References
Nolen, W. (2018). Monet, Khalo and Van Gogh, Their Art and Mental Illness. Bipolar Disorders , 20 , 37–38. doi: 10.1111/bdi.25_12616
Wolf, P. (2001). Creativity and chronic disease Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). Western Journal of Medicine , 175 (5), 348–348. doi: 10.1136/ewjm.175.5.348
