Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society
Episode: The Truth About Vincent Van Gogh
Host: Dr. Kate Lister
Guest: Tayo Meedendorp, Senior Researcher at the Van Gogh Museum
Release date: November 11, 2025
Episode Overview
In this fascinating episode, sex historian Dr. Kate Lister invites Tayo Meedendorp, a senior researcher at the Van Gogh Museum, to uncover the truth about Vincent van Gogh—the man behind the art and myth. Together, they explore his tumultuous personality, relationships (including with sex workers), struggles with mental health, and the enduring myths and scandals surrounding his life and death. The conversation blends historical insight, art history, and candid discussion about sexuality in late 19th-century Europe.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. How Do You Pronounce “Van Gogh”?
[05:04–06:40]
- Kate dives right into the perennial question: is it Van Gogh, Van Go, or something else entirely?
- Tayo clarifies: "He would have said his own name as Van Gogh," noting the Dutch guttural "g."
- Vincent preferred signing simply "Vincent" due to difficulties others had with his surname.
2. The Ubiquity and Appeal of Van Gogh
[06:40–07:16]
- Even in the most remote places, you’ll find Van Gogh’s art.
- Tayo: “You can’t escape him. It’s a bit like Coca-Cola, and it’s a bit the same with Vincent.”
3. Becoming a Van Gogh Scholar: Tayo’s Journey
[07:26–09:18]
- Tayo explains how a chance internship led to a lifelong career researching Van Gogh.
- He curated exhibitions and catalogs, gradually becoming an authority on Van Gogh’s life and work.
4. Separating the Man from the Myth
[09:18–14:23]
- The public image of Van Gogh as the “tortured genius” is unpacked.
- Tayo: “He was melancholic at heart... But it’s their situation in life. With Vincent, when you start to abuse alcohol... things can get worse.” [10:01]
- The infamous ear-cutting incident was a result of a downward spiral exacerbated by alcohol and societal rejection.
5. Van Gogh’s Late Start
[14:23–15:57]
- Van Gogh didn’t pursue art seriously until age 27, after failed careers in an art gallery and religious ministry.
- As Kate quips: “I get the impression that he’s quite a difficult person to know... if you saw his number pop up on your phone, you might be a bit like, oh God, not today.” [14:41]
6. Rejection, Relationships, and Need for Belonging
[15:02–20:30]
- Early professional and romantic rejections deeply affected him.
- Tayo describes Vincent’s most consistent and meaningful relationship: his bond with his brother Theo:
"In the end they really cling to each other and they're together, they are one... what he was looking for with a woman, together they are one, in fact, he had it with his brother." [20:09]
7. Attitudes Towards Sex, Sex Workers, and Sien Hoornik
[23:25–32:48]
- Van Gogh’s intense, often obsessive relationships are discussed, especially with sex worker/muse Sien Hoornik.
- Tayo reveals: “At first he doesn’t call her Sien, he calls her Christine... probably her working name.” [26:11]
- Van Gogh’s urge to “save” Sien was rooted in his reading and moral outlook; their relationship was both romantic and pragmatic, blurring lines between art and life.
- Kate: “He regularly visited brothels and sex workers and one of his most influential muses… Sien Hornig.” [25:34]
- The couple lived together for over a year, scandalizing his family and contemporaries, and providing Van Gogh with a rare opportunity for figure studies.
8. Intensity & the Limits of Social Convention
[33:14–33:41, 32:48–33:09]
- Van Gogh’s openness in letters (especially to his brother and Emmanuel Bernard) hints at a strong but sometimes conflicted sexuality.
- His frankness sometimes gave way to discretion—"if it’s really getting saucy... we talk about it when I see you next week." [33:41]
9. Erotic Art and Bohemian Life
[34:45–36:11]
- Van Gogh admired Rembrandt and the French Impressionists’ willingness to depict brothel scenes and erotic subjects, though his own nude works were rare.
- Tayo highlights a sketch of a copulating couple: “There is one of a copulating couple even... something not meant for public, but something private.” [34:45]
10. The Legendary Ear Incident
[36:11–46:05]
- The notorious story of Van Gogh’s mutilated ear is detailed:
“He presented [the ear] to one of the sex workers, Rachel, which is her working name. And of course, she fainted and he went back to the Yellow House and he was found the next morning.” [42:53]
- Tayo explores motives: an act of self-harm to relieve psychic pain, with symbolic overtones (possibly inspired by Spanish bullfights).
11. Debunking the “Murder” Theory
[47:47–56:33]
- Tayo rebuts newer theories that Van Gogh was accidentally shot by others, arguing the evidence for suicide is overwhelming.
"This is a new myth... It's not true. It is quite clear from Vincent..." [48:29]
- The profound change in Vincent’s psyche after Theo started a family and after repeated setbacks is explored as part of his increasingly melancholic outlook.
12. Vincent’s Final Masterpiece and His Legacy
[56:33–59:47]
- If the museum were burning, what would Tayo save? He chooses Van Gogh’s last painting, "Tree Roots," painted the day of his death:
“[It’s] perhaps a painted adieu… It’s clinging to life… It’s the forces of nature and nature trying to survive. Sometimes you have to give in.” [57:01]
- Tayo also highlights the recent authentication of "Sunset at Montmajour," revealing how new discoveries continue to shape our understanding of Van Gogh.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Van Gogh's enduring fame:
“You can’t escape him. It’s a bit like Coca Cola, and it’s a bit the same with Vincent.”
— Tayo Meedendorp [06:59] -
On the complexity of his character:
"He could be quiet on one side. He could be socially very inept. But his idea was always to help people… he always failed."
— Tayo [17:08] -
On the intensity of his relationships:
"He seems very intense. Yeah, this will take me two hours on the phone."
— Kate Lister [19:55] -
On his relationship with Sien:
"He saw something as okay, someone to be saved, someone that he could love... he really wanted to be a figure painter... he made several nude studies of her."
— Tayo Meedendorp [26:38–29:47] -
The famous ear:
"He put his hand in the candle, burning candle."
— Tayo Meedendorp [25:13]
“He presented to one of the sex workers, Rachel... and of course, she fainted.”
— Tayo Meedendorp [42:53] -
Final words on legacy:
“It’s clinging to life… Sometimes you have to give in. And that’s the last painting he made.”
— Tayo Meedendorp [57:01]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 05:04 – How to pronounce "Van Gogh"
- 06:51 – Ubiquity of Van Gogh’s art
- 09:18 – The myth of the tortured artist
- 14:23 – Van Gogh's late-blooming career
- 15:57 – Relationships and need for belonging
- 23:43 – Van Gogh and rejection
- 25:34 – Sien Hoornik and attitudes to sex work
- 36:11 – The ear-cutting incident
- 47:47 – Theories around Van Gogh’s death
- 56:33 – The most important piece in the Van Gogh Museum
Tone & Style
This episode is candid, accessible, and peppered with dark humor and empathy. Kate Lister’s irreverent wit pairs well with Tayo’s scholarly yet approachable expertise. They unpack heavy subjects—mental illness, rejection, suicide, sex work—with honesty and complexity, avoiding sensationalism while confronting reality.
Conclusion
This episode offers a rich, nuanced portrait of Van Gogh—a passionate, troubled genius whose art and life remain deeply entwined. By exploring the truths and myths of his sexuality, relationships, and legacy, Kate and Tayo invite listeners to see Van Gogh not as a legendary madman, but as a complex individual shaped by longing, pain, and relentless creativity.
For more: Visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, especially for the upcoming exhibition on the Roulin family.
Contact: betwixt@historyhit.com
End of Summary