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Article: Brushing up on van Gogh.(Arts)(Art)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- October 4, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Just who was Vincent van Gogh? There are the legends and the myths. Then there are the facts.
Was he the mad genius who produced great works of art, then killed himself at age 37? Was he the crazed, starving neurotic portrayed in "Lust for Life," the 1956 so-called biography by Irving Stone that was made into a popular film starring Kirk Douglas? Is it true that van Gogh cut off his ear with a razor, as the story Mr. Stone made up goes?
Though it made for good box office and van Gogh became a popular icon, the artist actually just cut off a small piece of his right ear.
A major industry of kitsch has grown up around the name of van Gogh ...