--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No wonder Van Gogh cut his ear off, I…" description: "\"“No wonder Van Gogh cut his ear off, I thought; there’s nothing else to do in a place like this but cut your ear off.”\" — Philip Kerr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b61/philip-kerr-14488_artist_no-wonder-van-gogh-cut-his-ear-off-i-tho_20247.jpg" --- # No wonder Van Gogh cut his ear off, I thought; there’s… ![“No wonder Van Gogh cut his ear off, I thought; there’s nothing else to do in a place like this but cut your ear off.” quote by Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b61/philip-kerr-14488_artist_no-wonder-van-gogh-cut-his-ear-off-i-tho_20247.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b61/philip-kerr-14488_artist_no-wonder-van-gogh-cut-his-ear-off-i-tho_20247.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b61/philip-kerr-14488_artist_no-wonder-van-gogh-cut-his-ear-off-i-tho_20247.jpg) > ““No wonder Van Gogh cut his ear off, I thought; there’s nothing else to do in a place like this but cut your ear off.”” [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A darkly humorous observation that extreme boredom or oppressive surroundings can drive people to absurd self-harm. **In simple terms:** Boredom can provoke irrational acts. Key Takeaway Despair may manifest in self‑destructive gestures. Themes absurdity dark humor boredom self‑destruction psychology Mood wry melancholic ironic Type aphorism satire When to use this quote - stuck in a monotonous job - isolated in a bleak landscape - feeling trapped in a routine Key Concepts environmental influence mental state Practical Applications - satirical writing - psychological analysis Questions to Reflect On - What does this say about how environment shapes behavior? - When does humor become a coping mechanism? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ## Related quotes > [Van Gogh cut off his ear for his art. I'm not tryin' to cut off my ear. I'm not humiliating myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-perez/van-gogh-cut-off-his-ear-for-his-art-i-m-not-tryin-to-cut-off-my-ear/) [Rosie Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-perez/) > [“Van Gogh would have to cut his cock off to make an impression nowadays”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cavanagh/van-gogh-would-have-to-cut-his-cock-off-to-make-an-impression-nowadays/) [Dean Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cavanagh/) > [My brother was listening to his transistor radio. He kept switching the earpiece from one ear to the other, which I thought was his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lynch/my-brother-was-listening-to-his-transistor-radio-he-kept-switching/) [Jane Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lynch/) > [It is a little thing to speak a phrase of common comfort, which by daily use has almost lost its sense; yet on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-noon-talfourd/it-is-a-little-thing-to-speak-a-phrase-of-common-comfort-which-by/) [Thomas Noon Talfourd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-noon-talfourd/) > [“Against all expectations, the symptoms of Van Gogh’s mental illness are conspicuous by their almost complete absence from his letters. Much as he chose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/against-all-expectations-the-symptoms-of-van-gogh-s-mental-illness/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > ['The Night Cafe' and 'The Starry Night' still emit such pathos, density, and intensity that they send shivers down the spine. Whether Van Gogh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/the-night-cafe-and-the-starry-night-still-emit-such-pathos-density/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [“Artists, real artists, have to work. They can’t be hedonists. Really good painters are always working. The world is such a marvelous place. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/artists-real-artists-have-to-work-they-can-t-be-hedonists-really-good/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [If I could have any artist's work on my sitting room wall it would probably be by Van Gogh or Picasso.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-stevenson/if-i-could-have-any-artist-s-work-on-my-sitting-room-wall-it-would/) [Juliet Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-stevenson/) > [The artist cannot look to others to validate his efforts or his calling. If you don't believe me, ask Van Gogh, who produced masterpiece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-artist-cannot-look-to-others-to-validate-his-efforts-or-his/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“You have first to experience what you want to express. —Vincent van Gogh”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/you-have-first-to-experience-what-you-want-to-express-vincent-van-gogh/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [I've always been really fascinated by Vincent van Gogh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-hall/i-ve-always-been-really-fascinated-by-vincent-van-gogh/) [Michael C. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-hall/) > [“I’m not Helen Keller—I’m Van Gogh. It’s not that I can’t hear, it’s that I don’t use my ears.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-not-helen-keller-i-m-van-gogh-it-s-not-that-i-can-t-hear-it-s/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Now don't think I've lost my mind - but I'll tell you, I'll look at some of the cards I have, some of Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/now-don-t-think-i-ve-lost-my-mind-but-i-ll-tell-you-i-ll-look-at-some/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [ You cannot be the good all the time — sometimes it is necessary to get angry. \[Vincent Van Gogh\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-stone/you-cannot-be-the-good-all-the-time-sometimes-it-is-necessary-to-get/) [Irving Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-stone/) > [“Van Gogh on Christmas: And now we’re slowly heading towards winter, and many dread it, but Christmas is wonderful, it’s like the moss on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liesbeth-heenk/van-gogh-on-christmas-and-now-we-re-slowly-heading-towards-winter-and/) Liesbeth Heenk ## More by Philip Kerr > [“Uki Goni’s excellent book The Real Odessa for much of my information about Nazis in Argentina.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/uki-goni-s-excellent-book-the-real-odessa-for-much-of-my-information/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“Frau Lange, her chins and her dog were waiting for me on the same chaise longue, except that it had been recovered with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/frau-lange-her-chins-and-her-dog-were-waiting-for-me-on-the-same/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“The colonel stood up. “I hope you enjoy your trip to Uruguay. Its government is stable, democratic, and politically mature. There’s even a welfare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/the-colonel-stood-up-i-hope-you-enjoy-your-trip-to-uruguay-its/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“My only choice was between the disastrous and the unpalatable. A very German choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/my-only-choice-was-between-the-disastrous-and-the-unpalatable-a-very/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“Looking round the room I found there were so many false eyelashes flapping at me that I was beginning to feel a draught.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/looking-round-the-room-i-found-there-were-so-many-false-eyelashes/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“as great a blight on our world as a missionary landing on Tahiti with a boxful of brassieres.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/as-great-a-blight-on-our-world-as-a-missionary-landing-on-tahiti-with/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“When you’re working for people who are mostly thieves and murderers, a little of it comes off on your hands now and then.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/when-you-re-working-for-people-who-are-mostly-thieves-and-murderers-a/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“Well, who knew? When they were elected. That they were crooks, I mean.” “Pretty much everyone who didn’t vote for them, Friedrich. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/well-who-knew-when-they-were-elected-that-they-were-crooks-i-mean/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“the man who succeeds is the man who is able to reduce problems to their simplest terms and who has the courage of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/the-man-who-succeeds-is-the-man-who-is-able-to-reduce-problems-to/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“leaders.’ Nebe snorted and went back round his desk. ‘You’re going to have to watch your mouth, Bernie,’ he said, half-amused. ‘Get to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/leaders-nebe-snorted-and-went-back-round-his-desk-you-re-going-to/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“If he was a member of the human race at all, Neumann was its least attractive specimen. His eyebrows, twitching and curling like two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/if-he-was-a-member-of-the-human-race-at-all-neumann-was-its-least/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“Sometimes I think God is just the devil pretending to be nice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/sometimes-i-think-god-is-just-the-devil-pretending-to-be-nice/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“There are so many ways of escaping from that which one fears, and not the least of these is hatred.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/there-are-so-many-ways-of-escaping-from-that-which-one-fears-and-not/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“I was never one for looking at beautiful scenery, and certainly not since 1933; it distracts from the more important and admittedly metropolitan business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/i-was-never-one-for-looking-at-beautiful-scenery-and-certainly-not/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) > [“The interesting thing about the rich is that they like being told where to get off. They confuse it with honesty”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/the-interesting-thing-about-the-rich-is-that-they-like-being-told/) [Philip Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) [Explore all 37 Philip Kerr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/) ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No wonder Van Gogh cut his ear off, I thought; there’s nothing else to do in a place like this but cut your ear off.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip Kerr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/no-wonder-van-gogh-cut-his-ear-off-i-thought-there-s-nothing-else-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/no-wonder-van-gogh-cut-his-ear-off-i-thought-there-s-nothing-else-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b61/philip-kerr-14488_artist_no-wonder-van-gogh-cut-his-ear-off-i-tho_20247.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b61/philip-kerr-14488_artist_no-wonder-van-gogh-cut-his-ear-off-i-tho_20247.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b61/philip-kerr-14488_artist_no-wonder-van-gogh-cut-his-ear-off-i-tho_20247.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No wonder Van Gogh cut his ear off, I thought; there’s nothing else to do in a place like this but cut your…” — Philip Kerr", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Philip Kerr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kerr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“No wonder Van Gogh cut his...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/no-wonder-van-gogh-cut-his-ear-off-i-thought-there-s-nothing-else-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kerr/no-wonder-van-gogh-cut-his-ear-off-i-thought-there-s-nothing-else-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```