Probably the most widely known 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 surrounding this incident, nevertheless did the trick. Now, even the most curious reader, picking up a book about Van Gogh, will surely try to find some information about this.
A small house in the province, or bouts of depression
In 1988, Vincent Van Gogh rented a small house in a small southern French town called Arles. There, the Dutch painter, suffering from bouts of depression, experienced periods of madness and agony of creativity. Here he painted several scenes of the countryside of France and the famous series of paintings "Sunflowers".
Exhausted by despair and loneliness, Van Gogh hoped for new acquaintances with creative personalities that would provide him with communication, and possibly help reduce his financial dependence on his younger brother Theo, who always supported Vincent Van Gogh. The lonely artist repeatedly appealed to his friend Gauguin with a request to join him. And finally, he heeded his prayers. So begins the story of Van Gogh's ear.
Entertainment of two friends, or What two artists argue about
On October 23, Paul Gauguin knocked on the door of Van Gogh's little house. They began to study numerous canvases in art galleries, brightened up their leisure time in local brothels. Their relationship was quite stormy. Two post-impressionists were constantly arguing, ranging from household expenses to the merits of Delacroix or Rembrandt.
Paul Gauguin constantly grumbled about the dirt in the studio. Moreover, he threw away all the bedding of Vincent Van Gogh. And immediately he sent for his own, which were to be delivered directly from Paris. The small house quickly filled with an atmosphere of tension. Paul was increasingly concerned about the state of Vincent, who periodically kept a thoughtful silence, and at times showed unstable 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 loved, Paul informed him that he planned to return to Paris. In the evening he went for a walk, when Vincent unexpectedly overtook him from behind and began to threaten him with a razor. Gauguin reassured his friend, but just in case this night spent the night in a nearby hotel. How could Paul then imagine how this decision would affect further events and Van Gogh's ear?
Vincent returned to his empty house. Again, one ... All of his dreams of staying with him next to Paul Gauguin were destroyed. In another fit of madness, the artist took a razor, pulled the left earlobe out of his ear and cut it off. The torn ear artery began to bleed heavily, and Vincent bandaged his head with a damp towel. But the story of Van Gogh’s ear does not end there. The artist carefully wrapped it in a newspaper and went to a brothel located in the neighborhood, where he found a friend of Paul Gauguin. She handed this bundle to her and asked him to carefully store it. Seeing the contents, the poor woman fainted, and Van Gogh staggered off, went home.
Ear of Van Gogh. Headband Self Portrait Photo
An alarmed woman decided to inform the police about this incident, and the next morning the artist was found in bed unconscious, covered in blood. He was placed in a local hospital. Vincent Van Gogh repeatedly requested a friend visit him. But Paul Gauguin never came. 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 that readers know as a story about Van Gogh's ear, in the form of a self-portrait with bandaged head. Manic seizures continued from time to time, and Vincent Van Gogh spent most of the next year in the Saint-Remy psychiatric clinic. But the treatment did not save the shaky psyche of the famous artist, and on July 27, 1890, he shot himself.
The most famous moment in life, or What brings loneliness
What else can be said about Van Gogh's severed ear? The story that happened on December 23, 1888 remains the most famous fragment from the life of the famous artist. Most of the narrative of those events was compiled from the words of Paul Gauguin, whom the police initially suspected of committing this act. Until now, there is an opinion among art historians and biographers that, in fact, the situation looked a little different.
Most likely, this story served only as a cover, which two artists came up with to protect Gauguin, who cut off Van Gogh's ear with his fencing sword during another quarrel. Given how Vincent desperately wanted to maintain his friendship with Paul, this version can also be believed.
However, more friends never saw each other. And this story forever remained an unsolved mystery that interested not only contemporaries, but also many today's admirers of the work of a talented artist. Moreover, it turns out that there is even a song called “Van Gogh's Ear”. Kashin Pavel, a famous contemporary performer, apparently tried to convey in her those emotions that Vincent Van Gogh experienced at the time of this crazy act.