Vincent van Gogh cut off part of his own ear on December 23, 1888, during a severe mental health crisis following a heated argument with fellow artist Paul Gauguin, with whom he was living in Arles, France. The incident is often seen as an expression of his emotional turmoil and mental breakdown. After attacking Gauguin with a razor blade, van Gogh turned the blade on himself, cutting off a part of his left ear. He then wrapped the severed ear in paper and delivered it to a woman at a nearby brothel, instructing her to "keep this object carefully." The act has been interpreted as a desperate plea for help or an expression of self-punishment. He was subsequently hospitalized, and Gauguin left Arles, ending their collaboration. Van Gogh soon resumed painting but was later admitted to an asylum due to his ongoing mental health struggles.
Additional research clarifies that he severed the entire left ear, or nearly so, rather than just the lobe. The woman who received the ear was likely a cleaner at the brothel, not a prostitute, challenging some popular myths about the event.
In summary, van Gogh's cutting off his ear was linked to his psychological distress after relational conflict and mental illness, rather than a single straightforward motive.
