Van Gogh Gave Maid Ear

Contrary to legend, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh did not give his severed ear to a favorite prostitute but reportedly handed it to an 18-year-old brothel maid named Gabrielle Berlatier. Researcher Bernadette Murphy identified Berlatier as the mysterious "Rachel" who received the ear in Arles, France, in 1888. Earlier that year, a dog had mauled Berlatier, forcing her to undergo painful treatment and receive the newly developed rabies vaccine at the Institut Pasteur in Paris. The costly treatment may explain why the farmer's daughter took cleaning work at the brothel, although her exact relationship with Van Gogh remains unknown.

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