Among the factors contributing to Van Gogh's psychopathology was the death of a brother, also named Vincent, a year before he was born. Stamm believes that the depression of Van Gogh's mourning parents during his first years plunged him into a lifelong struggle to achieve his own identity. Van Gogh had several psychotic episodes between 1888 and 1890, precipitated by separation

from his brother, Theo, and the threat of Theo's unborn child. During this period he produced the Starry Night series. While others have commented on the religious mysticism, love, and sexual union expressed in the paintings, Stamm sees a hitherto disregarded element: '… Van Gogh is trying, like Joseph, to prove his identity, to become the center of attention and achieve worldwide recognition and immortality'. He believes the eleven stars in the paintings are derived from the eleven stars in Joseph's dream and that the paintings show an identification with Joseph who became a king, ascendant over his brothers and father.