This Van Gogh Plush Doll Comes With a Detachable Ear
We'll never really know how Vincent van Gogh lost his ear, although some historians think it was the result of a nasty fight with friend and fellow painter Paul Gauguin (if not by his own hand). In any case, van Gogh reportedly presented the detached ear to a prostitute, who promptly passed out. The artist then returned home to slumber in a "blood-drenched bed," and nearly died before being carted to the hospital the following morning. This is not exactly a romantic story, but with the help of a plush doll, the recreation can be a lot more adorable.
Reddit user nocturnalvoice found a charming van Gogh doll while in a museum gift shop, and posted a photo of the quirky gem on the networking site. The plush toy comes with a Velcro-fastened detachable ear and a tag that encourages the buyer to give the ear to "someone you love." Hopefully your special someone won't faint like the aforementioned recipient did.
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Thanks to some sleuthing by Mashable, you can own this adorable doll without even having to step foot in a museum. Created by the Unemployed Philosophers Guild, the toy stands at 11 inches tall and comes with a little plush paintbrush. You can buy it for $18.95 on Amazon.
"Intense facial expression suggest the turmoil inside the trouble [sic] painter," the description reads.
If van Gogh isn't for you, you can also pick up plush versions of Albert Einstein, Kurt Vonnegut, and more.
[h/t Mashable]