The battle of Van Gogh's ear: Artist didn't chop it off - Gauguin attacked him in brothel row over woman



Self-portrait: Vincent Van Gogh never spoke about the cause of his missing ear, but it is claimed rival Paul Gauguin chopped it off outside a brothel

History has always painted Vincent Van Gogh as the artist who cut off his ear. But according to researchers, history might have got the wrong man.

They believe that, in fact, it was Paul Gauguin, an artist of almost equal renown, who cut off his friend's ear.

And the injury wasn't inflicted for the sake of art - rather it was part of a feud over a prostitute.

This theory is the masterpiece of German historians who have pored over the evidence for ten years.

They believe the story about the self-inflicted wound was invented by the sword-wielding Gauguin just to protect himself.

What is not disputed is that Van Gogh lost his ear when the two artists were living in the South of France in December 1888.

The Dutch painter, who travelled to France after teaching himself to draw, was attempting to set up an artists' retreat.



The two were known to fight about art. Van Gogh believed an artist should paint what he saw, while Gauguin painted according to his memory.



But on this occasion, they were fighting over a prostitute named Rachel, outside the brothel where she worked, the book says.

Paul Gauguin, pictured, cut off Van Gogh's ear, says Hans Kaufmann of Hamburg University

Hans Kaufmann, of Hamburg University, said: 'To get rid of Van Gogh, who was begging him to stay [in the south of France] Gauguin waved his weapon in the direction of the victim while they were in front of the house of ill repute. 'The left ear fell. We cannot say if it was deliberate or an accident. In this situation, the protagonists vowed to keep silent. Then Gauguin disappeared, abandoning his friend. 'The next day, the police questioned Gauguin. That's when he made up the theory about self-mutilation.' Van Gogh, in bed, did not give the police any information. But he was so upset by the abandonment, the book says, that he shot himself in the chest seven months later, and died, at 37. He may have been suffering from lead poisoning from the paints he used. The academics say the accepted theory that Van Gogh cut off his own ear is based entirely on Gauguin's story. Van Gogh never talked about it. 'Subsequent behaviour and numerous allusions by the protagonists suggest they were hiding the truth,' Mr Kaufmann told French newspaper Le Figaro. One of Van Gogh's most famous pieces, Starry Night, which inspired a song by Don McLean

If the truth had come out, Gauguin could have faced prison, whereas Van Gogh's retreat would never have been closed, the academics added.

Gauguin is said to have thrown his sword into the River Rhone out of remorse. Neither the sword nor the razor Van Gogh is said to have used to cut himself were found.

There have been many theories about how Van Gogh lost his ear. Some blame his descent into mental illness, others the breakdown of his friendship with Gauguin. But before now, they have never disputed that it was self-inflicted.