Vincent van Gogh's severed ear. Van Gogh's severed ear: what the painter was left with after the scandal with Gauguin. Treatment in a psychiatric hospital

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 household expenses to 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, younger brother your friend.

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 Vincent van Gogh spent most of the next year 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 of life 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. 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.

“Self-portrait with a bandaged ear and a pipe.” The work was written in a hospital. 1888

There are many versions; some scientists and historians, in pursuit of easy fame, put forward supposedly “shocking” facts and invent new details of this story. But this is all just their imagination and far-fetched speculation. To fully understand this issue, I looked at a lot of documentaries, read all the correspondence with his brother, and also looked into the biography of Theodore’s wife.

A Brief Background to the Severed Ear

It all started when on October 25, 1888, a very important guest arrived in the town of Arles, and his name was Paul Gauguin. He was a real idol, and at the same time good friend Van Gogh. The first days of their cohabitation went smoothly, they worked peacefully in a yellow house, part of which Vincent rented with his brother's money.

They often discussed Vincent's obsession with creating a union of artists where they could all work and earn money under one roof. This union of artists was supposed to include European post-impressionist artists with whom Van Gogh was friends. But it never came to fruition, and the idea always remained only on paper. Perhaps her unstable financial situation and frequent health problems prevented her from realizing it. At the same time, living under the same roof, Paul Gauguin managed to successfully sell his works! He loved to relax in brothels, drank a lot of alcohol, and naturally smoked constantly. He led such a lifestyle, and at the same time, was not embarrassed to take the money that Theo sent them to live on - most likely, this is what brought the oppressed Vincent to the boil.

Causes of deep depression that should be noted:

1. Difficult financial situation.
2. An unrealized idea with an artists' union.
3. Disappointment in a friend artist.
4. And finally - envy of Paul Gauguin.

It is worth taking into account that Van Goghstrade had a heightened perception of reality. Plus, he was unbalanced and very vulnerable person. Such a cocktail of internal problems could not sit inside for long; sooner or later, everything had to come to a boil. During another quarrel in a bar, he threw a glass at Gauguin, but he managed to dodge and the glass flew over his head, Vincent ran home, and Gauguin continued to rest with a grin. But the continuation of the conflict was not long in coming, and everything continued the very next day. The following describes why Van Gogh cut off his ear.

How did Van Gogh cut off his ear?

A day later, at night, Van Gogh, with a razor in his hands, jumped out in front of Gauguin on the street, and they gazed into each other’s eyes for several seconds. Being a man with low self-esteem, Van Gogh could not stand the tension and ran home with a frightened look. The razor was already in his hands, and in order not to feel like a complete insignificance, he had to use it. Due to his moral state, he was ready to commit suicide, but in his almost childish mind there was not enough courage for this terrible act. As a result of repentance and self-flagellation, that same night he could not stand it and cut off his earlobe. Then he wrapped it in paper and took it to the place where they most often rested. Brothel worker Rachelle reported this outrageous event to the police. law enforcement agencies already knew where the artist lived, and arrived there in the morning. This is how the French press described the incident:

“On Sunday night, citizen Vincent Van Gogh appeared in a local brothel, asked a certain Rachel to come to him, he handed her his earlobe, and said: “Take care of this treasure.” And he left silently, not wanting to explain anything. The police, who immediately learned about the incident, were on the trail of the distraught artist. He was found in the house he rented, this man was lying in his bed in a faint state."

Consequences of a cut off ear

Gauguin and Van Gogh gave statements to the police, where Van Gogh indirectly stood up for his comrade and took all the blame for what happened. On the same day, he was immediately taken to a psychiatric hospital, where the attack repeated again, and the doctors placed him in a department with violent patients. Although he himself did not consider himself violent, rather having a seizure, the cut off ear was precisely the result of a complex attack.

Corridor in the Saint-Paul hospital in Saint-Rémy.

Gauguin left Arles that same day, and he also complained to his brother Theo about Vincent's inadequacy. Thus, the artists could not live under one roof even for two full months. Gauguin went on to travel and never contacted the Van Gogh family again.
Theo, thanks to his connections and status, agreed with the doctors so that Van Gogh could paint while in the hospital, and it was there that the masterpieces were created: “ Starlight Night", "Irises", "Wheat field with cypress trees" and many others.

Upon arrival home from the hospital, a second picture was painted with a bandaged ear, this time without a tube and with a very calm expression on his face, there is no fear and loss in the eyes as in the previous picture, which was also painted in the hospital.

Self-portrait with a bandaged ear. Arles. 1889, January.

Driven to suicide

A year later, while walking with painting materials, Van Gogh shot himself through the heart with a pistol he had bought to scare away annoying birds while Vincent was working in the fields. But the bullet missed his heart, and so he was able to get home on his own. The owner of the hotel where he lived called doctors and they began to fight for his life. Theo arrived as quickly as he could and heard his brother's last words: “Sadness will last forever...”.

"Wheat field with crows." The final, very sad work of the master.

As you can see, it is very difficult to definitively answer the question: Why did Van Gogh cut off his ear? After all, in this story there was a place for attempted suicide, and poverty and dependence. Unfortunately, the severed ear was only the beginning of a sad end. After all, frequent seizures and violent attacks of schizophrenia began precisely after this ill-fated ear. The artist should not be considered a psychopath, saying that he cut off his ear - that means he is abnormal. Each person has his own boiling point, after reaching it, he is no longer who he was before. This happened to him too, he was a truly sick person, but not mentally... but spiritually.

Interestingly, after this incident with the cut off ear, Van Gogh never remembered him again, as if he did not exist. This is further proof that this entire period took place in a fog for him. Such rejection of the past often occurs in sick people, supposedly this is not him.

“Vincent took the straight razor that was lying on the edge of the washbasin and opened it. He grabbed the criminal's ear and pulled it as far as possible by the lobe, and then cut off the criminal's flesh. The razor missed the top of the ear, slipped about halfway through and went all the way to the jaw. It was easy to cut the skin, but the cartilage turned out to be too elastic, and it took persistence or animal strength for the flesh between the fingers to finally give way. By this point there was blood all over my hand.”
Steven Knife and Gregory White Smith in the book “Van Gogh. Life"

Let's watch the video:

The famous "Bedroom in Arles". To the left of the window above the dressing table hangs small mirror. Apparently, it was in front of this mirror that Vincent tried to cut off his ear on Christmas Eve 1888.

Pictures used in this video:

Self-portrait with bandaged ear and tube
Vincent Van Gogh
January 1889, 51 × 45 cm

Self-portrait with a cut off ear
Vincent Van Gogh
January 1889, 60 × 49 cm

Self-portrait
Vincent Van Gogh
September 1889, 65 × 54 cm

Self-portrait
Vincent Van Gogh
September 1889, 51 × 45 cm

Portrait of Vincent Van Gogh
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
1887, 57 × 46 cm

Still life with absinthe
Vincent Van Gogh
1887, 46.3 × 33.2 cm

For Vincent, his face, apparently, was an inexhaustible source of ideas and a field for experimentation. The artist painted his first self-portrait only in 1886, and over the next four years he created several dozen more. Often these works are very different from each other; from them one can trace both the techniques and styles used by Van Gogh, as well as changes in state of mind author. However, one more sad assumption can be made: Vincent painted so many self-portraits because of a feeling of endless loneliness...

Yellow house
Vincent Van Gogh
September 1888, 91.5 × 72 cm

Night cafe in Arles
Vincent Van Gogh
September 1888, 80.7 × 65 cm

On the threshold of eternity
Vincent Van Gogh
May 1890, 81 × 65 cm

Arena in Arles
Vincent Van Gogh
December 1888, 73 × 92 cm

Armchair by Paul Gauguin
Vincent Van Gogh
December 1888, 90.5 × 72.7 cm

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 into a pastor's family. Protestant Church Theodora and the 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 from the very beginning early age a love of religion was instilled - both my 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 any point in further training. 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 paint as early as mature age, and in just 10 years he became a professional, wrote all his works and turned existing concepts in the fine arts 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 is as follows: 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 a settlement for the mentally ill in San Remy. 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 in extreme mysterious circumstances at the age of 37 years. 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.”

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.