Revealed Lives | Van Gogh

One of the most well-known facts about the artist Vincent van Gogh is that he cut off a part of his own ear. In the first of this series looking at the lives and passions of men and women in history, Frank Delaney explores the sometimes grisly story of Van Gogh's existence. He reveals the artist's troubled upbringing, the inspirations for his painting and the fervour that drove his talent and his illness.

Prolific author Frank Delaney was born in Tipperary, Ireland. He began his broadcasting career with Irish state network RTE and later began working for BBC Northern Ireland. He has interviewed more than 3,000 subjects for various TV and radio shows, including 'Bookshelf' and 'Omnibus', and written numerous factual books, novels and short stories, as well as plays and scripts for the screen, such as a recent adaptation of 'Goodbye, Mr Chips' for ITV.