After a dispute with fellow painter Paul Gauguin in 1888, Vincent van Gogh slices off his left ear with a razor and gives it to a prostitute for safekeeping.
For years, historians have been fascinated by Vincent van Gogh's ear, prompting them to devise a variety of ideas as to why the 19th century Dutch artist sliced off a portion of his own auditory organ. According to the most commonly recognised version, van Gogh hacked off his ear lobe in a fit of madness following a confrontation with fellow artist Paul Gauguin, and then presented it to a prostitute called Rachel as a sign of devotion.
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