A German museum has put on display a copy of Vincent van Gogh's ear that was grown using some of the Dutch artist's genetic material.

The 19-century painter is said to have cut off his own left ear during a psychotic episode in 1888.

The Centre for Art and Media in Karlsruhe says the replica ear consists of living cells grown from samples provided by Lieuwe van Gogh, the great-great-grandson of Vincent's brother Theo.

The museum says Lieuwe and Vincent van Gogh share about one sixteenth of the same genes, including the Y-chromosome that is passed down the male lineage.

Artist Diemut Strebe told the Associated Press on Tuesday that she wanted to combine art and science.

Strebe plans to display the ear in New York next year.