Vincent van Gogh severs part of his ear in Arles
- When
- 1888–1889
- Where
- Arles
- Episodes
- 2
Vincent van Gogh severed part of his left ear following an altercation in Arles on 23 December 1888. He was subsequently treated at the local hospital, where he remained until early January 1889. This incident occurred during his stay in Arles, which began in February 1888.
Episodes
- Severing of the Ear
Van Gogh severed his left ear with a razor after an altercation on 23 December 1888, causing severe bleeding.
- Hospitalization in Arles
Van Gogh was removed to the local hospital in Arles following the incident and remained there until early 1889.
Background and detail
Background. Van Gogh moved to Arles in February 1888, seeking refuge from health issues. He developed a brighter style there, creating works like The Yellow House. Paul Gauguin agreed to visit Arles in 1888, and Van Gogh hoped for friendship and to realise his idea of an artists' collective. Van Gogh and Gauguin visited Montpellier together in December 1888.
The Incident. On the evening of 23 December 1888, after an altercation, Van Gogh returned to his room. He heard voices and severed his left ear, either wholly or in part, with a razor. This act caused severe bleeding. The event took place in Arles, where he had been living since February 1888.
Hospitalization and Recovery. Van Gogh was removed to the local hospital in Arles. Despite a pessimistic diagnosis, he recovered and returned to the Yellow House on 7 January 1889. He later gave his 1889 Portrait of Doctor Rey to Rey.
People involved
- Vincent van Gogh · Subject
- Paul Gauguin · Contemporary associate who had agreed to visit Arles in 1888
- Doctor Rey · Recipient of Van Gogh's 1889 Portrait of Doctor Rey
Sources
- Vincent van Gogh Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-30
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.