Van Gogh and Gauguin formed a close connection during the two years they lived and painted as neighbors in Arles, in the south of France. They were responsible for the town's status as an artistic haven. According to legend, after separating from Gauguin, van Gogh chopped off a portion of his own ear with a straight razor. He then sent it to the painter as a gift, hoping it would encourage further friendship. However, according to other reports, he only pretended to chop off his ear; instead, he burned it in protest against Gauguin's plan to leave for Tahiti. The story of Vincent van Gogh and his severed ear has been used extensively by artists since his death in 1890. It is one of the most famous art myths and has appeared in many forms of media including paintings, drawings, sculpture, tapestries, and even music albums. In 1990, a French museum opened its doors to public viewing for the first time in nearly 100 years. This exhibition featured hundreds of pieces that had been removed from the homes of both men just months before their deaths. The ear was among them. The discovery of this artifact caused such interest that the museum had to move into another location. More than 700 people visited the new venue to see the ear. The myth about van Gogh's ear dates back at least as far as 1955 when Henry Geldzahler wrote about it for the New York Times.