By
Lee Dobbins
Vincent van Gogh, Ludwig van Beethoven and Sir Isaac Newton are the names that come to mind when people think about the world’s greatest painter, composer and inventor respectively. However,
the geniuses all suffered from seriously mental disorders, which led them to living the rest of their life in illness and troubles.
Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890)
Vincent van Gogh, whose paintings were highly appreciated thanks to their unique brushwork and expression, is regarded as one of the greatest painters in history. However, few people know that the Dutch painter only gained popularity after his death.
Besides his fame and talent, Van Gogh made the world remember him because he dared to cut off his own ear due to broken friendship with artist Paul Gauguin and suffered from bipolar disorder at the end of his life.
Vincent van Gogh committed suicide in 1890
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)
Ludwig van Beethoven, whose passionate intensity and brilliant design brought instrumental music to a new level, is considered as one of the world’s greatest composers.
However, the genius had a hard life when he was raised by an abusive, alcoholic father. At the age of 49, he was deaf as a result of his father’s beatings. Magically, Beethoven could still compose some of his most esteemed work after losing his hearing.
Ludwig van Beethoven also suffered from bipolar disorder and was believed to be contaminated a dangerously high lead content
John Nash (1928 - 2010)
The life story of mathematic genius John Nash was popularized in a four-Oscars-winning movie named “A Beautiful Mind”. During his career, he was notably famous for significant contributions to the concept of game theory that could be applied to various fields including economics and military as well as earned him a Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 1994.
However, John had to struggle with hallucinations and delusions. His hallucinations began occurring when he often heard voices without watching people or things that weren’t there. Then, the mathematician also suffered from delusions of grandeur and believed major world figures caught him.
John Nash (left) and actor Russel Crowe, who played John Nash in “A Beautiful Mind”
He was able to make a significant recovery in the late 1980s after around 30 years fighting against the disorders
Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849)
American writer Edgar Allan Poe was best-known for his poems like “The Raven” as well as horror and detective stories including “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” published in 1841.
The talented man experienced much spiritual pains when he witnessed the deaths of his parents, brother and wife. Furthermore, he also addicted alcohol, struggled with suicidal thoughts and was believed to have bipolar disorder.
Edgar Allan Poe passed away at the age of 40
Sir Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727)
Sir Isaac Newton is globally honored as a brilliant thinker thanks to his numerous and far-reaching contributions to physics and mechanics like inventing calculus, developing laws of motion, explaining "universal gravitation" and building the first reflective telescope.
Unfortunately, he probably suffered from bipolar disorder, psychotic tendencies and mood swings. It is believed that his mental disorder might have been a result of this prolonged traumatic childhood experience because his father died before he was born and he was separated from his mother between the ages of two and 11.
Sir Isaac Newton even surpasses Einstein in terms of influence
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About the Author:
Studying materials on education, Eric Giguere prefers reading and writing. In his spare time, Eric often joins literature clubs to share his interest with others.
Articles Source:
Van Gogh and Beethoven: Craziest Geniuses
