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Van Gogh's Ear: The True Story
On a dark night in Provence in December 1888 Vincent van Gogh cut off his ear. It is an act that has come to define him. Yet for more than a century biographers and historians seeking definitive facts about what happened that night have been left with more questions than answers.
In Van Gogh’s Ear Bernadette Murphy sets out to discover exactly what happened that night in Arles. Why would an artist at the height of his powers commit such a brutal act? Who was the mysterious ‘Rachel’ to whom he presented his macabre gift? Was it just his lobe, or did Van Gogh really cut off his entire ear? Her investigation takes us from major museums to the dusty contents of forgotten archives, vividly reconstructing the world in which Van Gogh moved – the madams and prostitutes, café patrons and police inspectors, his beloved brother Theo and his fellow artist and house-guest Paul Gauguin. With exclusive revelations and new research about the ear and about ‘Rachel’, Bernadette Murphy proposes a bold new hypothesis about what was occurring in Van Gogh’s heart and mind as he made a mysterious delivery to her doorstep that fateful night.
Van Gogh’s Ear is a compelling detective story and a journey of discovery. It is also a portrait of a painter creating his most iconic and revolutionary work, pushing himself ever closer to greatness even as he edged towards madness – and one fateful sweep of the blade that would resonate through the ages.
In Van Gogh’s Ear Bernadette Murphy sets out to discover exactly what happened that night in Arles. Why would an artist at the height of his powers commit such a brutal act? Who was the mysterious ‘Rachel’ to whom he presented his macabre gift? Was it just his lobe, or did Van Gogh really cut off his entire ear? Her investigation takes us from major museums to the dusty contents of forgotten archives, vividly reconstructing the world in which Van Gogh moved – the madams and prostitutes, café patrons and police inspectors, his beloved brother Theo and his fellow artist and house-guest Paul Gauguin. With exclusive revelations and new research about the ear and about ‘Rachel’, Bernadette Murphy proposes a bold new hypothesis about what was occurring in Van Gogh’s heart and mind as he made a mysterious delivery to her doorstep that fateful night.
Van Gogh’s Ear is a compelling detective story and a journey of discovery. It is also a portrait of a painter creating his most iconic and revolutionary work, pushing himself ever closer to greatness even as he edged towards madness – and one fateful sweep of the blade that would resonate through the ages.
319 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
December 11, 2019
The blurb on the book says it is a detective story.
It is not.
The prologue reads like a historical fiction.
Sadly only that one chapter reads that way.
This book falls somewhere between a historical fiction and a documentary?
Whatever you would class it as it did not work.
Her research is extensive and she could have done a wonderful historical fiction judging by the first chapter she created.
She certainly does enough speculating to have accomplished it.
Unfortunately she didn't.
As a result this was super boring and held a lot of unnecessary information you had to slog through to find the interesting bits.
It is not.
The prologue reads like a historical fiction.
Sadly only that one chapter reads that way.
This book falls somewhere between a historical fiction and a documentary?
Whatever you would class it as it did not work.
Her research is extensive and she could have done a wonderful historical fiction judging by the first chapter she created.
She certainly does enough speculating to have accomplished it.
Unfortunately she didn't.
As a result this was super boring and held a lot of unnecessary information you had to slog through to find the interesting bits.
July 30, 2016
This is a fascinating book which took seven years of painstaking research to compile. For anyone who has read the many scholarly biographies of Van Gogh, and enjoyed Lust for Life and the Yellow House, it seemed there was nothing new to be learned. The author inserts herself into the story, detailing her meticulous search through dusty archives, genealogical research to learn about the families who touched on the artist's life in Arles, and an interpretation and analysis of his paintings, and how they reflected his surroundings, friendships and mental health at the time they were painted.
There were conflicting reports from near the time of the horrific event on the day before Xmas eve. At the height of his artistic powers he mutilated himself by cutting his ear. Some wrote that only the ear lobe was removed, but others contended he sliced off the entire ear. The author, Bernadette Murphy actually found a diagram by his doctor that shows the complete outer ear was removed. A recent theory suggests that the mutilation was caused by Gauguin, a fellow artist and housemate in a drunken brawl, but she lays that suggestion to rest. We know that after the injury caused him to almost bleed to death in his home. In fact, the policeman who came to the scene thought Van Gogh had died of his injury, and Gauguin who was returning to the house was temporarily arrested for murder. The author's research leads her to believe that the mutilation was carried out by Van Gogh while looking in a mirror and probably using a razor.
It has long been believed that he showed up at a nearby bordello, and presented the ear to a prostitute. This was not the case. After much studying of the census and medical records of the time she was unable to find any prostitute fitting the recorded name or description. It turns out that the recipient of the grisly gift was a young girl who worked cleaning businesses during the day and bordellos at night. Her descendants were interviewed and requested the family name not be released.
Another story falsely taken as factual was about a petition said to have 100 signatures of townspeople demanding that Van Gogh leave the town because he was dangerously unstable. This grew to the rumour that most of the people of Arles wanted him out. The author discovered the actual petition which consisted of 30 names, a couple forgeries and some names of illiterates included where their signatures were written in by others, with or without their permission. It seems the ringleader was the owner of the yellow house leased to Van Gogh. The landlord wished to sell it to a tobacconist for use in his business and was unable to do so due to the lease. The other person urging for the petition was the tobacconist himself, and mainly their friends.
After the mutilation of his ear, Van Gogh was in and out of hospital after experiencing several breakdowns. From her research it shows that his symptoms can fall into a number of psychiatric categories and in addition to a family history of mental illness and epilepsy. Two of his siblings committed suicide. She does not believe he was a heavy drinker. Van Gogh was supported financially by his beloved brother, Theo. Theo was an art dealer who also partly supported Gauguin while he was in Arles. Theo's recent marriage and new baby meant that he wouldn't have the resources to cover Van Gogh's rent and heavy medical bills. This weighed heavily on the artist's mind.
Included in the book are photographs, diagrams and paintings featured in her discussions.
There were conflicting reports from near the time of the horrific event on the day before Xmas eve. At the height of his artistic powers he mutilated himself by cutting his ear. Some wrote that only the ear lobe was removed, but others contended he sliced off the entire ear. The author, Bernadette Murphy actually found a diagram by his doctor that shows the complete outer ear was removed. A recent theory suggests that the mutilation was caused by Gauguin, a fellow artist and housemate in a drunken brawl, but she lays that suggestion to rest. We know that after the injury caused him to almost bleed to death in his home. In fact, the policeman who came to the scene thought Van Gogh had died of his injury, and Gauguin who was returning to the house was temporarily arrested for murder. The author's research leads her to believe that the mutilation was carried out by Van Gogh while looking in a mirror and probably using a razor.
It has long been believed that he showed up at a nearby bordello, and presented the ear to a prostitute. This was not the case. After much studying of the census and medical records of the time she was unable to find any prostitute fitting the recorded name or description. It turns out that the recipient of the grisly gift was a young girl who worked cleaning businesses during the day and bordellos at night. Her descendants were interviewed and requested the family name not be released.
Another story falsely taken as factual was about a petition said to have 100 signatures of townspeople demanding that Van Gogh leave the town because he was dangerously unstable. This grew to the rumour that most of the people of Arles wanted him out. The author discovered the actual petition which consisted of 30 names, a couple forgeries and some names of illiterates included where their signatures were written in by others, with or without their permission. It seems the ringleader was the owner of the yellow house leased to Van Gogh. The landlord wished to sell it to a tobacconist for use in his business and was unable to do so due to the lease. The other person urging for the petition was the tobacconist himself, and mainly their friends.
After the mutilation of his ear, Van Gogh was in and out of hospital after experiencing several breakdowns. From her research it shows that his symptoms can fall into a number of psychiatric categories and in addition to a family history of mental illness and epilepsy. Two of his siblings committed suicide. She does not believe he was a heavy drinker. Van Gogh was supported financially by his beloved brother, Theo. Theo was an art dealer who also partly supported Gauguin while he was in Arles. Theo's recent marriage and new baby meant that he wouldn't have the resources to cover Van Gogh's rent and heavy medical bills. This weighed heavily on the artist's mind.
Included in the book are photographs, diagrams and paintings featured in her discussions.
July 30, 2016
BOTW
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07m8wszDescription: Rebecca Front reads from Bernadette Murphy's revelatory account of her seven-year mission to solve one of the most infamous and perplexing art mysteries of the nineteenth century.
The period, when Van Gogh injured his ear, has come to define the way the great artist is viewed. Yet there are discrepancies and gaps in the story. In this new book, Bernadette asks what exactly did happen that fateful night? She pieces together the unfolding events, dogged in pursuit of the truth as she trawls through forgotten archives which lead to dead ends but also to unexpected and new revelations.
Arrival in ArlesVan Gogh and GauginA DiscoveryA PetitionThe Mysterious Woman
February 26, 2019
An amazing amount of research went into this book. It was well reasoned and very informative
July 31, 2024
I enjoyed this book so much, and the fact that I did not expect to love it this much makes me love it even more.
In a scholarly biography, or Van Gogh’s ear project, as Murphy calls it, she accomplished what she wanted. Not only has she presented a clearer picture of what happened with the ear incident, but she also made some extraordinary discoveries.
I liked Murphy’s writing, and her descriptions of the setting and nature in Arles were a joy to read.
My favourite part is Murphy’s description of how she did her research, how she got in touch with certain people, and how she showed the process of her research. I can understand that, to some people, this could be boring and irrelevant, but to me, this made the book even better. I also did not mind Murphy relating some events or mentioning her personal experiences as it brought the French Provence closer to me as someone who has never been there.
I read some reviews that mention this book as historical fiction or that it would be better if it were written as historical fiction, but this book is NOT historical fiction but a scholarly biography, just not written in the traditional sense. The prologue was written in the manner of historical fiction in order to create a setting for the reader and depict the events of Murphy’s research.
The photographs, letters, scans of historical evidence, paintings and layouts of the city and buildings were a nice touch that enhanced my reading experience.
In a scholarly biography, or Van Gogh’s ear project, as Murphy calls it, she accomplished what she wanted. Not only has she presented a clearer picture of what happened with the ear incident, but she also made some extraordinary discoveries.
I liked Murphy’s writing, and her descriptions of the setting and nature in Arles were a joy to read.
My favourite part is Murphy’s description of how she did her research, how she got in touch with certain people, and how she showed the process of her research. I can understand that, to some people, this could be boring and irrelevant, but to me, this made the book even better. I also did not mind Murphy relating some events or mentioning her personal experiences as it brought the French Provence closer to me as someone who has never been there.
I read some reviews that mention this book as historical fiction or that it would be better if it were written as historical fiction, but this book is NOT historical fiction but a scholarly biography, just not written in the traditional sense. The prologue was written in the manner of historical fiction in order to create a setting for the reader and depict the events of Murphy’s research.
The photographs, letters, scans of historical evidence, paintings and layouts of the city and buildings were a nice touch that enhanced my reading experience.
March 10, 2019
What an incredible book. Meticulously researched, wonderfully written.
June 15, 2019
Fascinating.
April 24, 2019
The author, Bernadette Murphy, spent seven years trying to discover the truth of what happened that fateful night in Arles. Her own dogged detective work becomes part of the story, so that we follow her research step-by-step. Like any good investigator, she does not believe all that is told to her, but interrogates all the known facts and uncovers many unknown ones. The result is truly fascinating and very readable. This is not a heavy academic biography, but rather a warm, intimate and very personal story of one woman’s obsessive search to understand how a man could cut off his own ear. Having read the book, I feel as if I know exactly what happened and perhaps understand the why … a great place for anyone interested in Vincent Van Gogh to start.
July 31, 2016
From BBC Radio 4 - Book of the Week:
Rebecca Front reads from Bernadette Murphy's revelatory account of her seven-year mission to solve one of the most infamous and perplexing art mysteries of the nineteenth century.
The period, when Van Gogh injured his ear, has come to define the way the great artist is viewed. Yet there are discrepancies and gaps in the story. In this new book, Bernadette asks what exactly did happen that fateful night? She pieces together the unfolding events, dogged in pursuit of the truth as she trawls through forgotten archives which lead to dead ends but also to unexpected and new revelations.
2/5: Paul Gaugin joins his fellow artist in southern France, but all is not well.
3/5: Bernadette pursues a new lead.
4/5: troubling news reaches Van Gogh, and Bernadette follows new leads in pursuit of the truth about the artist's final months in Arles.
5/5: Bernadette sets out to establish to whom Van Gogh gave his macabre gift.
Bernadette Murphy has lived for thirty years in the south of France. By chance she became intrigued by Van Gogh's story and started investigating, but little did she expect the adventure it turned out to be.
Abridged by Richard Hamilton
Produced by Elizabeth Allard.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07m8wsz
Rebecca Front reads from Bernadette Murphy's revelatory account of her seven-year mission to solve one of the most infamous and perplexing art mysteries of the nineteenth century.
The period, when Van Gogh injured his ear, has come to define the way the great artist is viewed. Yet there are discrepancies and gaps in the story. In this new book, Bernadette asks what exactly did happen that fateful night? She pieces together the unfolding events, dogged in pursuit of the truth as she trawls through forgotten archives which lead to dead ends but also to unexpected and new revelations.
2/5: Paul Gaugin joins his fellow artist in southern France, but all is not well.
3/5: Bernadette pursues a new lead.
4/5: troubling news reaches Van Gogh, and Bernadette follows new leads in pursuit of the truth about the artist's final months in Arles.
5/5: Bernadette sets out to establish to whom Van Gogh gave his macabre gift.
Bernadette Murphy has lived for thirty years in the south of France. By chance she became intrigued by Van Gogh's story and started investigating, but little did she expect the adventure it turned out to be.
Abridged by Richard Hamilton
Produced by Elizabeth Allard.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07m8wsz
December 3, 2016
I would give this book 3.5 stars, because the research was well done. Vincent Van Gogh created wonderful paintings during his short, heart-breaking life. I like impressionist paintings but I also like Van Gogh's landscapes. The part about that woman who he gave his ear to is interesting.
February 9, 2022
I don't even know what to say except I probably won't stop thinking about this for a long time to come
September 4, 2025
اگر نویسنده در مورد زحمات و نتایجش غلو نکرده باشه، واقعا مستند محشری بود.
حیف ویراستار رابطهی خوبی با ارقام و اعداد نداشت. (شلخته بررسی کرده بود متن رو، خیلی تپق تاریخی داشت.)
حیف ویراستار رابطهی خوبی با ارقام و اعداد نداشت. (شلخته بررسی کرده بود متن رو، خیلی تپق تاریخی داشت.)
July 12, 2019
The true story? The author has certainly put in a lot of research but I still see her conclusions as conjecture. Nevertheless, an interesting and enjoyable read.
October 30, 2016
This history of Van Gogh's time in Provence is fascinating and throws new light on his character and his psychiatric problems. Fairly well written but it feels a bit of an amateur "research" project... It took me longer than normal to read as I found the style a little tedious. Overall interesting but promised more than it delivered.
April 5, 2018
The ostracism of VG from his own village was terrible, the yellow house was his soul. The list of prostitutes not that interesting, but the speculation about the "madness" and what made him like this is rather interesting but not conclusive.
April 8, 2020
I am glad to know the truth about Van Gogh and his ear episode. Can’t say I bought into her obsession about it. Another book that felt like homework.
Want to read
August 18, 2023DNF, was too ambitious for my non fiction era it felt like reading a textbook 😭 I’ll read a chapter or two now and then but can’t be my only book
Read
July 23, 201623 JUL 2016 - recommendation through Bettie. Many Thanks!
September 20, 2022
I wouldn't call this a detective story, it was closer to investigative journalism - Murphy detailed the research she did alongside unfolding Van Gogh's story, which was an smart approach and made this very readable. A fascinating read for anyone with a passing interest in Van Gogh.
January 24, 2025
Phenomenal, brought me to tears 💛🌻
April 21, 2017
This was such a well-researched book. What started as a lark by the author ended up being 7+ year investigation into what really happened to Van Gogh's ear. I'm not going to tell you what happened because the book does, and it's fascinating. Bernadette Murphy takes some crazy rabbit trails to find the truth about Van Gogh's ear. Because I love all things Van Gogh and because it was well-written, I give this book 4 1/2 stars.
June 18, 2018
Well researched and well done.
March 6, 2022
I was blown away by the quality of Bernadette Murphy's research into this awful incident in the life of Vincent Van Gogh - now one of the immortals; then (1888-89) an obscure painter, disliked by many of the townsfolk of Arles, southern France, where he was living, followed and taunted by children because of his odd behaviour, even the subject of a petition to have him declared insane and removed to an asylum. Murphy's efforts were further frustrated by the fact that Arles was bombed during the Second World War, resulting in the destruction of the town that Vincent would have known and many records that would have shed further light on his sorry state. The wonder is that he was able to keep on painting, producing some of his best and most famous works in this last phase of his life.
Vincent, supported by his brother Theo, had moved to Arles in February 1889, eventually moving into the Yellow House and making friends with some of the townsfolk and some artists. Fellow artist Paul Gauguin, after some hesitation, joined him in October. For Vincent it was the beginning of a dream: establishing a kind of artists' community in the south of France. But, unluckily for Vincent, his mental health would not permit the realisation of this dream. Murphy brilliantly clarifies the progress, through his worsening condition, towards the ear incident – triggered by two catastrophic developments: finding it a strain living with Vincent, Gauguin had decided to leave Arles and Theo had sent news of his own forthcoming wedding. This meant the end of Vincent's dream of an artistic community; Theo's family responsibilities would not enable him to continue to support Vincent indefinitely. Murphy argues convincingly that this led to his breakdown.
Vincent was hospitalised, where he was cared for by a doctor Felix Rey, who seemed unusually astute and compassionate for a country doctor in those days. Murphy discovered an illustration Rey had done, showing that Vincent had removed almost his entire ear - many had believed he had only taken off a bit of the lobe. The other aspect to the story is the identity of the woman to whom he gave the ear. She is generally called "Rachel" and believed to be a prostitute. Murphy claims to have met her descendants, who did not want to be named, and found that her name was Gabrielle and that she worked as a cleaner at the brothel, not as a prostitute. Murphy goes into Vincent's state of mind, as far as is possible from this distance, holding that he saw Gabrielle as a "wounded angel", due to some kind of bruising on her arm. He had made similarly extreme gestures in the past - giving away all his possessions and sleeping rough when he worked as a religious pastor, for example - so, obviously under the stress of a delusional state, this was another extreme action.
There is much, much more in this book and we follow Murphy in her labyrinthine wanderings to uncover the truth, much of it by happy accidents and chance meetings. Murphy cut her teeth researching her own family history, and she has lived near Arles, in Provence, for many years. Although she possesses a degree in art history, it was not this background that led her to writing about Van Gogh, but, rather, the discrepancies about the artist's life that she picked up while living near Arles. She loves solving puzzles! Certainly, she appears to have solved this one.
Vincent, supported by his brother Theo, had moved to Arles in February 1889, eventually moving into the Yellow House and making friends with some of the townsfolk and some artists. Fellow artist Paul Gauguin, after some hesitation, joined him in October. For Vincent it was the beginning of a dream: establishing a kind of artists' community in the south of France. But, unluckily for Vincent, his mental health would not permit the realisation of this dream. Murphy brilliantly clarifies the progress, through his worsening condition, towards the ear incident – triggered by two catastrophic developments: finding it a strain living with Vincent, Gauguin had decided to leave Arles and Theo had sent news of his own forthcoming wedding. This meant the end of Vincent's dream of an artistic community; Theo's family responsibilities would not enable him to continue to support Vincent indefinitely. Murphy argues convincingly that this led to his breakdown.
Vincent was hospitalised, where he was cared for by a doctor Felix Rey, who seemed unusually astute and compassionate for a country doctor in those days. Murphy discovered an illustration Rey had done, showing that Vincent had removed almost his entire ear - many had believed he had only taken off a bit of the lobe. The other aspect to the story is the identity of the woman to whom he gave the ear. She is generally called "Rachel" and believed to be a prostitute. Murphy claims to have met her descendants, who did not want to be named, and found that her name was Gabrielle and that she worked as a cleaner at the brothel, not as a prostitute. Murphy goes into Vincent's state of mind, as far as is possible from this distance, holding that he saw Gabrielle as a "wounded angel", due to some kind of bruising on her arm. He had made similarly extreme gestures in the past - giving away all his possessions and sleeping rough when he worked as a religious pastor, for example - so, obviously under the stress of a delusional state, this was another extreme action.
There is much, much more in this book and we follow Murphy in her labyrinthine wanderings to uncover the truth, much of it by happy accidents and chance meetings. Murphy cut her teeth researching her own family history, and she has lived near Arles, in Provence, for many years. Although she possesses a degree in art history, it was not this background that led her to writing about Van Gogh, but, rather, the discrepancies about the artist's life that she picked up while living near Arles. She loves solving puzzles! Certainly, she appears to have solved this one.
December 23, 2021
نصف کتاب درباره کار ها و تحقیقات نویسنده برای کشف اطلاعات به قول او "واقعی" زندگی ون گوگ است. و نصف دیگرش بیان نتایج این تحقیقات.اگر دنبال داستانی برای آشنا شدن با زندگی ون گوگ هستید این کتاب رو چندان بهتون پیشنهاد نمیکنم چون روایت کتاب داستانی نیست بلکه شرح نتایج تحفقیقات نویسنده است.اما برای یک آشنایی اولیه جزئی بدک نبود . نیم ستاره هم برای عکسای رنگی از نقاشی ها در انتهای کتاب به امتیازش اضافه میکنم و بهش ۲.۵ از ۵ میدم .
May 20, 2021
This was such an interesting read!
You could feel the passion that Bernadette Murphy has for this story and you could feel how rigourously researched this was.
I feel like I've learned so much and it has completely transformed my understanding of the events surrounding Vincent, Arles, and his ear. I also feel like I've gained further insight into who Vincent was as a person and I'm so glad that Bernadette Murphy took the time to fill in so many details and give so much context.
I wish the facts of this story were more widely known and that Vincent was treated more often in the way that he is in this book - as a real person, with real complexity.
You could feel the passion that Bernadette Murphy has for this story and you could feel how rigourously researched this was.
I feel like I've learned so much and it has completely transformed my understanding of the events surrounding Vincent, Arles, and his ear. I also feel like I've gained further insight into who Vincent was as a person and I'm so glad that Bernadette Murphy took the time to fill in so many details and give so much context.
I wish the facts of this story were more widely known and that Vincent was treated more often in the way that he is in this book - as a real person, with real complexity.
December 28, 2016
I really enjoyed and appreciated the sleuthing that went into the manifestation of this work. This is my first work into VG life and I thought I would dip into a small section and this turned out to be an enjoyable read most of the way. I liked how the author made known the different thought processes to clarify some points which other biographies have glossed over. Now I just have to get a airplane ticket to Arles and Amsterdam
January 17, 2022
I watched the extraordinary documentary first and had to learn more. I recommend both the book and documentary for a nuanced and sympathetic account of the author's journey to explore the myths and truths of Vincent van Gogh's life. 3.5.
July 29, 2017
There was some interesting things to learn in this book but it was slow and I wanted it to be 100 pages shorter. Interesting things: extent of the injury to Van Gogh's ear, petition and who the women he gave the ear to was.
November 20, 2017
AMAZING work. Probably the best book I read this year. It took me at least the first few chapters to get into it, but then I couldn’t put it down.
Well written and fascinating. I wish I could find something similar for other painters I admire.
Well written and fascinating. I wish I could find something similar for other painters I admire.
February 18, 2018
Fascinating, though some of her conclusions might be a bit fantastical. Solidly researched. Murphy uncovers some interesting new information about this incident and you will never think of Van Gogh the same after reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews