New theory suggests Van Gogh cut off his own ear because of brother's engagement

Celebrated artist Vincent Van Gogh is known for cutting his ear off and sending it to a brothel worker in 1888.

Experts had suspected the extreme behavior was triggered by a fight with another painter, Paul Gauguin.

However, The Guardian reports that a new book, titled 'Studio of the South,' argues that Van Gogh mutilated himself because his brother Theo had decided to get married.

To the artist, the impending union would mean that he would likely lose the emotional and financial backing he was receiving from Theo because the groom would need to support his new family.

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As evidence, the book's author, Martin Bailey, writes that instead of learning about the engagement after the ear incident, as some had suggested, Van Gogh likely read about it earlier that day in a letter that had arrived from his brother.

In fact, a report by The Telegraph states, "When Theo visited his brother in hospital on Christmas Day, the artist confirmed that he already knew about the engagement."

Theo did end up getting married, but he died about three years after this event.