It is said on this day, December 23, 1888, van Gogh first threatened his house guest Paul Gauguin with a knife before turning the knife on himself, cutting off his own ear and gift-wrapping it to give to a favorite prostitute in Arles, France. He immortalized the event but painting “Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear” in 1889. His legend has grown over the years so I feel duty-bound to set the record straight.
Van Gogh did not cut off his whole ear but rather a part of his ear lobe. Cutting off his ear would have been crazy!