Article: Will the real Van Gogh stand up? Vincent Van Gogh He's inspired an army of psychologists and doctors to analyse his art, ailments and missing ear. But, as the world's favourite artist's work heads for Britain, William Langley asks what was really eating him

The biggest Van Gogh exhibition to be held in Britain for 40 years was unveiled this week, but anyone hoping for an understanding of "The Real Van Gogh", as the show is billing itself, should decide immediately whether to bone up on art or psychology. As the painter's pulling power has grown, so his works have come to be overshadowed by a popular fascination with his unhappy life, untimely death - and, especially, the question of what happened to his left ear.

Into the once-refined world of art scholarship have muscled hordes of pop-cultural pundits, behaviourists, bio-psychologists, diagnostic therapists, addiction specialists and experts in every medical field from constipation to ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!