The artist as a celebrity.
Great artists have been great publicists or publicised in the case of Van Gogh, mutilating his own ear strengthened his brand.
The story was so horrible the idea of Someone being capable of slicing their own ear off with a cut throat razor then wrapping it up and giving it to a prostitute to take care of it for
him
Damien Hirst wanted to be famous.
Van Gogh wanted to be known.