Wag Gogh syndrome or being your own doctor: why did Van Gogh cut off his own ear? A gloomy life canvas under the bright sunflowers of a post-impressionist.

Why did Van Gogh cut off his ear?

An eccentric act famous artist-Post-Impressionist, Vincent Van Gogh, earned his own name - Van Gogh syndrome. It manifests itself in the fact that the patient is trying (or has already been able) to operate on himself or insists on a specific operation. The place, and the family of the popular Dutch artist, according to specialist research, did not affect the onset of mental illness, which is attributed to the author of the famous self-portrait with a cut off ear.

The first symptoms of the disease, according to the governess, described in our previous article, appeared in childhood, however, no facts have been found to prove her position. Instead, the height of Van Gogh’s depression occurred in London, then smoothly flowed to Paris, a city that crowned the painter with contacts with famous artists. As you know, Van Gogh did not receive recognition during his lifetime. On the contrary, he was considered a peculiar and neurotic person.

According to one version, the artist cut off his lobe in a mental hospital during the next period of clouding of consciousness. According to doctors, Van Gogh suffered from delirium - delirium.
According to another, lost during a quarrel with his famous friend, patron and mentor, Paul Gauguin, whom they met in Paris. The conflict took place over a prostitute with whom both had an affair, although there is no exact information.
According to the third version, more poetic than real, Van Gogh cut off his own ear while drunk- under absinthe, which the artist allegedly favored, he could not control his extreme states.

The truth is on the edge of a knife - the true story of why Van Gogh cut off his ear

During the period of his violent insanity, Van Gogh underwent treatment in the city of Arles, where he rented an apartment in a bright yellow house.

Van Gogh rented a house at 2 Place LaMartine in Arles, France, on May 1, 1888.

In this colorful place, Vincent tried to create his own workshop, inviting artists and creating on his own. He wrote to his brother Theo about his dream, as he wrote about most things and ideas that troubled his soul.

The same letter to brother Theo with a picture of the house at the specified address

One of the rooms was rented by Paul Gauguin- one of the only contemporaries who joined Van Gogh’s idea and settled in Arles. Both extraordinary creators lived under the same roof until their first quarrel. Studying Theo's letters, researchers found confirmation of the spat. One day Paul left Van Gogh’s, which provoked our hero to another eccentric act. Vincent felt the ground cracking under his plans - the first, best and most honorable guest of the studio had left . Having lost self-control, Van Gogh cut off his ear, wrapped it in a scarf and went to a brothel to give the “present” to Gauguin’s prostitute. Fainting, panic, many years of treatment and the outcome - suicide. A yellow house, like Van Gogh’s sunflowers, were so light and harmless, maybe the governess was right?

↓ Read both articles about Van Gogh and write in the comments whether you agree with the “urban legends” about the artist’s madness or know other reasons why Van Gogh cut off his ear?

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Probably the most widely famous case is the story of Van Gogh's severed ear. Of course, this act in itself is not so unique, but the very fact that the famous artist committed it, and the mystery shrouding this incident, still did their job. Now even the most incurious reader, picking up a book about Van Gogh, will definitely try to find some information about this case.

A small house in the province, or attacks of depression

In 1888, Vincent Van Gogh rented a small house in a small southern French town called Arles. There, the Dutch painter, who suffered from bouts of depression, experienced periods of madness and creative pangs. Here he wrote several scenes rural areas France and the famous series of paintings "Sunflowers".

Exhausted by despair and loneliness, Van Gogh hoped for new acquaintances with creative personalities, which would provide him with communication, and perhaps help reduce his financial dependence on his younger brother Theo, who always supported Vincent Van Gogh. The lonely artist repeatedly turned to his friend Gauguin with a request to join him. And finally, he heeded his pleas. This is how the story about Van Gogh's ear begins.

Entertainment of two friends, or what two artists argue about

On October 23, Paul Gauguin knocked on the door of Van Gogh's small home. They began to study numerous paintings in art galleries, brightened up their leisure time in local brothels. Their relationship was quite stormy. The two post-impressionists argued constantly, ranging from the costs of household and ending with the merits of Delacroix or Rembrandt.

Paul Gauguin constantly grumbled about the dirt in the studio. Moreover, he threw away all of Vincent Van Gogh's bedding. And he immediately sent for his own, which were to be delivered directly from Paris. The small house quickly became filled with an atmosphere of tension. Paul became increasingly concerned about the condition of Vincent, who periodically remained thoughtfully silent and at times showed erratic outbursts of madness. Gauguin often wrote about this in his letters to Theo Van Gogh, his friend's younger brother.

Another fit of madness, or a cry of despair

Finally, two days before Christmas, which Van Gogh, by the way, never liked, Paul told him that he planned to return to Paris. In the evening he went for a walk when Vincent suddenly overtook him from behind and began to threaten him with a razor. Gauguin reassured his friend, but just in case, he spent the night in a nearby hotel that night. Could Paul then have imagined how this decision would affect further events and in Van Gogh's ear. Vincent returned to his empty house. Alone again...

All his dreams of Paul Gauguin being with him forever were destroyed. In another fit of madness, the artist took a razor, pulled back his left earlobe and cut it off. The severed ear artery began to bleed heavily, and Vincent bandaged his head with a damp towel. But the story about Van Gogh's ear doesn't end there. The artist carefully wrapped it in newspaper and went to a brothel located next door, where he found an acquaintance of Paul Gauguin. He handed the package to her and asked her to keep it carefully. Seeing the contents, the poor woman fainted, and Van Gogh staggered home.

Van Gogh's ear. Photo of a self-portrait with a bandaged head

The alarmed woman decided to report the incident to the police, and the next morning the artist was found unconscious in bed, covered in blood. He was admitted to a local hospital. Vincent Van Gogh repeatedly asked a friend to visit him. But Paul Gauguin never came. The hospitalization continued for several weeks, and then Van Gogh returned to his small house. There he continued to write his works and even documented the last violent episode, which readers know as the story of Van Gogh's ear, in the form of a self-portrait with his head bandaged. Manic episodes continued from time to time, and most of the time next year Vincent Van Gogh spent in psychiatric clinic Saint-Remy. But the treatment did not save the shattered psyche famous artist, and on July 27, 1890, he shot himself.

The most famous moment in life, or what loneliness can lead to

What else can you say about Van Gogh's severed ear? The story, which took place on December 23, 1888, remains the most famous fragment from the life of the famous artist. Much of the narrative of those events was compiled from the words of Paul Gauguin, whom the police initially suspected of committing this act. There is still an opinion among art historians and biographers that in reality the situation looked somewhat different. Most likely, this story served only as a cover, which was invented by two artists to protect Gauguin, who cut off Van Gogh's ear with his fencing sword during another quarrel. Considering how desperate Vincent was to maintain his friendship with Paul, this version is also believable.

However, the friends never saw each other again. And this story forever remained an unsolved mystery, which interested not only contemporaries, but also many of today’s admirers of creativity talented artist. Moreover, it turns out that there is even a song called “Van Gogh’s Ear.” Kashin Pavel, famous contemporary performer, apparently tried to convey in it the emotions that Vincent Van Gogh experienced at the time of this crazy act.

The artist also depicted himself in a variety of ways. He was very fond of all kinds of hats and smoked a pipe, so he just painted himself - in a hat and with a pipe. Moreover, I noticed an amazing pattern. If these two objects are present in the picture, then the artist is in a good mood, i.e. the picture is bright.

Here's another option. He is sadder than the picture taken in the title of the post, but not frightening as in many other portraits. True, there are already some troubles with the left ear:

I must say that he doesn’t look very good without a hat:

One of the self-portraits is dedicated to his friend Paul Gauguin. Their friendship was complicated. They created together, drank (they especially respected absinthe), argued about art... there are rumors that during one of these arguments, Van Gogh cut off his left earlobe in anger. Then he put it in an envelope and gave it to his favorite prostitute named Rochelle. She fainted and reported to the police. The police came to Vincent Van Gogh's home, and he was bleeding in his bed. They considered that there was no evidence of a crime - the artist stated that he mutilated himself. Having recovered a little from the wound, he did not fail to paint a portrait of himself:

According to another version, his ear was cut off by Gauguin, who was also a very hot-tempered character and had a complex character. In addition, Paul Gauguin lived at the expense of Theo Van Gogh, who was Vincent’s brother and was a lover and patron of painting. This probably somehow offended Gauguin, maybe he was jealous or something... We are unlikely to know what really happened, but the life of his artist friends was interesting. A self-portrait for Gauguin, a rather menacing look, it should be noted:

All this creepy story occurred in December 1888. As a result, the artist voluntarily went to a psychiatric hospital, where he worked a lot, was inspired by the view from the window and recovered. The most fruitful period of his work began, which, unfortunately, was very short and ended in suicide. Van Gogh went out into nature to paint landscapes, and suddenly shot himself with a pistol right in the heart. However, he did not die right away, but went home and lived another day. The artist died in the arms of his brother Theo on July 29, 1890 in Auvers-sur-Oise, France. No one doubted that it was suicide. Apparently because this was not the first attempt. The artist made numerous attempts on his own life.

Today everyone has heard the name of the great artist, but most people know him only as the man who cut off his ear and as the author of paintings worth colossal amounts of money. This article contains the most Interesting Facts from the life of Van Gogh.

Named after brother

Vincent Willem Van Gogh was born in the family of a Protestant church pastor, Theodore, and a bookbinder, Anna Cornelia. The parents named the boy the same as their first child, who was born a year earlier and did not live more than a week.

I wanted to become a priest

At first, Vincent seriously wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and become a clergyman. In the family of the future artist, a love of religion was instilled from a very early age - both his father and grandfather were respected priests. To be ordained, it was necessary to study for 5 years in a seminary, but due to his impulsive nature, such training seemed long and unproductive to Vincent, so he took accelerated courses at an evangelical school. This course was designed for three years of study, including six months of missionary work in a small mining town. Having spent these years of his life in terrible conditions, Vincent seriously doubted the saving properties of religion.

During the sermon, for which he had prepared so long and diligently, none of the miners listened at all, and Vincent understood these people perfectly. After the sermon there was serious conversation with his father, in whom the future artist admitted his doubts and that he no longer saw the point in further education. On this basis, father and son had a strong quarrel and never communicated again.

He wrote all his works in 10 years.

Van Gogh decided to take up painting as an adult, and in just 10 years he became a professional, wrote all his works and turned existing concepts in fine art on their heads.

Was in love with his own cousin

Vincent met Kay Vos-Stricker, his cousin, when she and her son were visiting the artist's parents. At the time of the meeting, the cousin was a widow, but she rejected Van Gogh’s feelings. Despite this, Vincent continued to court the lady, and thereby turned all his relatives against him.

The Myth of the Severed Ear

In fact, Van Gogh did not cut off his own ear - if this had happened, the artist most likely would have died immediately from a large loss of blood. This story is mysterious and shrouded in mystery. The most plausible version looks like this: Paul Gauguin came to Van Gogh to discuss a common workshop, but the artists did not come to a common point of view, as a result of which a conflict broke out, ending in a fight and Vincent attacking Gauguin with a razor in his hands. Gauguin was not injured, but Van Gogh cut off his earlobe that night. To this day it is not known what it was - whether the artist repented of yesterday’s incident or these were just the consequences of absinthe abuse.

Treatment in a psychiatric hospital

Immediately after the incident with Gauguin, Van Gogh was sent to a psychiatric hospital with a diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy. Residents of the city of Arles, where the incident with the razor occurred, asked the city authorities to isolate the artist from society, as a result of which Van Gogh was sent to the San Remy settlement for the mentally ill. But the artist does not stop working, and even in the conditions of such an institution he creates great works such as “Starry Night”.

Mysterious death

The artist passed away under extremely mysterious circumstances at the age of 37. Van Gogh died from loss of blood as a result of a gunshot wound to the chest from a pistol, which the artist used to drive away birds during the open air. To this day it is not known for certain whether it was suicide or an attempt. Last words Van Gogh were: “Sadness will last forever.”

In 1888 Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh cut off part of his left ear after a quarrel with the Frenchman Paul Gauguin. This incident is widely known, although the artist’s motives are not clear. It is believed that he attacked his friend in a fit of madness caused by the abuse of absinthe. But there was one interesting detail in the whole story that was never entirely clear: how badly did the painter damage his ear?

Van Gogh researchers have always believed that the artist took away only part of his ear—perhaps only the lobe. But while researching Van Gogh's life, a mysterious researcher discovered a drawing made by his attending physician. According to the image, the artist cut off almost the entire ear.

Bernadette Murphy, author of the new book Van Gogh's Ear, found most interesting drawing in the Irving Stone archives, American writer, who novelized the life story of Van Gogh in the novel “Lust for Life.” Murphy learned that in 1930, Stone went to Arles, France, in search of material, where he met with the artist’s doctor. He drew Stone a sketch of Van Gogh’s ear before and after the artist, in an impulse strong feelings self-mutilated. This drawing clearly shows that Van Gogh was left with only a small piece of lobe.

This is Bernadette Murphy's first book. The future writer was born in Ireland, but lived for many years in the south of France - in the favorite places of Gauguin and Van Gogh. In an interview, Murphy mentions teaching art history. The publisher characterizes it with the following words: “ ordinary woman, which revealed an extraordinary secret to the world."

In Murphy's own words: “I had health problems... I had a lot of free time... I enjoyed solving the mystery. This study was incredible adventure... In my little house in Provence, I couldn’t believe that I had found something new and important about Vincent Van Gogh.”

Few people know that in two self-portraits Van Gogh depicted himself with his right ear bandaged, although he cut off his left one. Most likely this is an involuntary deception of the artist, who painted himself while looking in the mirror.

It is worth noting that Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin were extraordinary personalities. They experienced the whole gamut of emotions and were included in art history textbooks.