The Brothers Vincent and Theo
Vincent’s life had plenty of ups & downs, but he could always count on the support of his younger brother Theo.
Theo had always been sickly and prone to ailments, but after Vincent’s death, his health deteriorated extremely rapidly indeed. He was admitted to hospital in mid-October 1890 and on 25 January 1891 – six months after Vincent’s death, he died of the effects of syphilis.
Theo suffered from this illness for a long time. Back then, it was a common STD (bacterial infection) and a treatment was yet to be developed. Sufferers can be infected with syphilis for many years without knowing it, but the disease ultimately attacks various organs, including the heart, brain and spinal cord.