In the fall of 1888, Vincent van Gogh was living and working with the artist Paul Gauguin in the Yellow House in Arles in the south of France. Just before Christmas 1888, they had a blazing row. During an attack, Vincent van Gogh cut off his left ear in utter confusion. The next morning, police found Vincent at home and took him to the hospital. Vincent could later recall nothing about what had happened, and he just wanted to forget about it.

Source: Van Gogh Museum