The Real Story Behind van Gogh's Severed Ear

By CHRISTEL KUCHARZ. Available on line at http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=7506786&page=1

Vincent Van Gogh was a famous Dutch Painter and one of the most important artists, symbol of painting, but maybe he is also well known because of his self- harm in the left ear lobe. The official version says that after he has a heated argument with his friend Paul Gauguin, an important painter too, he decided to cut off his own ear with a razor blade, and after that he gave it to a prostitute as a gift. However, recent researches done by a two German historians could show the real history about this matter.

They claim that Van Gogh was injured by his friend Gauguin after they dad a fight shortly before Christmas 1888. The story began in Arles, Southern France, when they used to live together at the famous “Yellow House”, but when Gauguin told Van Gogh his plants to leave him and go back to Paris, this last one got annoyed and tried to attack Gauguin; so, as a defense act, Paul takes out his sword and accidentally cut of the Van Gogh’s left ear lobe.

The historians say that this “true version”, it unknown by the world, because the two friends agree each other, to tell nothing about what happened that night, according to a “Pact of Silent”. This version is supported with a lot of letters that Van Gogh wrote to Paul Gauguin and his bother Theo, when there’s many hints like for example: “I will keep quiet about this and so will you” or this one: “A man with sealed lips, I cannot complain about him”.

The mystery is still alive, but as soon as possible the investigations continue, the word will know the real story about the Van Gogh’s ear…