![Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (1) Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (1)](https://i0.wp.com/courtauld.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/vsn-gogh-self-portrait-P.1948.SC_.175_cs-scaled-0x800-c-default.jpg)
Vincent van Gogh
This famous painting, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear by Vincent van Gogh, expresses his artistic power and personal struggles. Van Gogh painted it in January 1889, a week after leaving hospital. He had received treatment there after cutting off most of his left ear (shown here as the bandaged right ear because he painted himself in a mirror). This self-mutilation was a desperate act committed a few weeks earlier, following a heated argument with his fellow painter Paul Gauguin who had come to stay with him in Arles, in the south of France. Van Gogh returned from hospital to find Gauguin gone and with him, the dream of setting up a ‘studio of the south’, where like-minded artists could share ideas and work side by side.
The fur cap Van Gogh wears in this painting is a reminder of the harsh working conditions he faced in January 1889: the hat was a recent purchase to secure his thick bandage in place and to ward off the winter cold. This self-portrait is thus powerful proof of Van Gogh’s determination to continue painting. It is reinforced by the objects behind him, which take on a symbolic meaning: a canvas on an easel, just begun, and a Japanese print, an important source of inspiration. Above all, it is Van Gogh’s powerful handling of colour and brushwork that declare his ambition as a painter.
Explore this painting in our virtual tour
This painting is on display in the LVMH Great Room, Level 3 of The Courtauld Gallery. You can view this room from the comforts of your home through our virtual tour.
Launch tour![Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (2) Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (2)](https://i0.wp.com/courtauld.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2022-06-29-at-15.56.01-0x700-c-default.png)
Create your own gallery
Bring home your favourite pieces from The Courtauld’s collection with our exclusive custom prints to suit your space.Choose fromart paper or canvas, in a range of sizes and frames, and we will make your print and deliver it directly to your door.
View all prints![Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (3) Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (3)](https://i0.wp.com/courtauld.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/POD-for-mainsite-1-0x700-c-default.jpg)
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Gallery Virtual Tours
Explore each floor of The Courtauld Gallery with our virtual tours. Zoom in to look closely at masterpieces from our remarkable collection, from individual brush strokes to the texture of the paint....
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Explore The Courtauld’s remarkable collection of paintings, prints and drawings, sculpture and decorative arts.
Explore![Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (8) Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (8)](https://i0.wp.com/courtauld.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/The-Card-Players-Banner-0x700-c-default.jpg)