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View Full Version : What have you been up to, VG?!



Spider
05-05-2009, 09:47 AM
Seen on the BBC World News website --

ALSO IN THE NEWS
Gauguin cut off Van Gogh's ear in a row at a brothel, it is claimed

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/8033650.stm


:D

vangogh
05-05-2009, 11:35 AM
I swear it was me. It wasn't Gaughin. There's no reason to question him. I did this to myself. It's done, the ear is gone. He's my friend.

I wonder if there's any truth in the book or if it's just sensationalism to sell a book. From what I understand there were no witnesses there at all so I'm not sure how they'd have new evidence. My guess is the book is a lot of speculation in order to sell a book.

Based on what I know of the two men it's easy to see that Gaughin would have been somewhat emotionally abusive toward Van Gogh, driving Van Gogh to do what he did. The idea that Gaughin had a sword with him that he used to attack his friend seems somewhat less plausible to me. Interesting idea for a book though.

KristineS
05-05-2009, 04:28 PM
I saw this today and I immediately thought of you Vangogh.

It seems odd that, after all this time, the story has changed. I'm not sure I buy it. I'm leaning more toward the idea of sensationalism to sell books.

vangogh
05-05-2009, 05:12 PM
I think it's more someone trying to sell a book, though in all fairness I haven't read the book so who knows. Maybe they do make a convincing argument. I'm sure it wouldn't hold up in a court of law. Only two people were there when the incident happened and both say Van Gogh cut off his own ear lobe with a razor blade. Both are also long since dead so I'm pretty sure they haven't changed their story either.

One thing I find interesting is the author makes the claim that Gaughin used a sword to cut the ear. Both Gaughin and Van Gogh spent their time painting the objects around them. I don't believe either painted a sword during that time. Just seems a bit far fetched, though it might still read well.