简介：JeremyPaxmanjoinsdedicatedartloverandauthorof‘VanGogh'sEar:TheTrueStory’,BernadetteMurphyattheclimaxofherseven-yearmissiontosolveoneofthemostperplexingartmysteriesofourtime:didvanGoghreallytakearazortohisownear,andwhatledhimtocommitsuchanact? Havingsiftedthroughalltheevidence,Bernadette’ssearchendsinBerkeley,California,whereatinydocument,drawnbyDrFelixRey,whohadcaredforVanGoghfollowingtheincident,hasbeenhidingforyearsintheIrvingStonearchives.ReyhaddrawnadiagramforStoneoftheearbeforeandaftertoinformStone'sbookLustForLife.Thediagramconfirmsabrutalseveranceoftheentireear.BernadettetakestheevidencetotheVanGoghMuseuminAmsterdam,theworld’sforemostcentreforthestudyofhislifeandwork. VincentvanGogh,anunknownandunsuccessfulpainterduringhislifetime,istodayamongthemostcelebratedartistsofalltime.In1888,theartistspentayearofhislifeinthecityofArles,France,wherehecreatedsomeofhismosttreasuredmasterpieces.Butitwasalsotheyear-legendhasit-thathetookabladetohisownear,beforegivingittoayounggirloutsideanearbybrothel.Hewasfoundthefollowingmorning-onChristmasEve-hisheadinblood-soakedrags. Thiseventhasbecomeoneofthemostfamouslegendsinthehistoryofart,butnobodyhasbeenabletoagreewhatactuallyhappened–eventhathedidcutoffhisear-untilnow. Beforethefinalpieceofthepuzzleisuncovered,thedocumentaryfollowsBernadetteassheidentifiesforthefirsttimethegirlcalled‘Rachel’,thegirlvanGoghgavehiseartothatevening,andtracksdownherdescendants.BernadettededucesthatRachelwasinfactayoungcleanernamedGabrielle-whoworkedbrothelsandotherregularhauntsofvanGogh'snearwherehelivedinArlesin1888-andshedslightonthetruenatureoftheirrelationship. TheprogrammealsooffersanalysisofVanGogh’swork,createddirectlyaftertheincident–clueswithinofferinsightintohisgeniusandmentalstateatthetime;hisfeelingsofabandonmentbyhisbrotherTheo,onwhomhereliedfinanciallyandemotionally,andfriendandfellowartistPaulGaugin. BernadetteMurphysays:“Thisinvestigationhasbeenanincredibleadventure,anddiscoveringthedocumentwasanextraordinarymoment.FrommylittlehouseinProvenceIcouldn’tbelieveIhadfoundsomethingnewandimportantaboutVincentvanGogh,butitwasavitaldetailinmycompletere-examinationofthismostfamousofartists,thekeypeoplehemetinArlesandhistragicend.” JeremyPaxmansays:“BernadetteMurphyhasdemonstratedthatwithpassionanddedicatedsleuthingyoucanchangeabitofhistory.”…