Item in common to a January 1889 self-portrait & several of those attending the 2024 Republican National Convention

Tuesday’s Final Jeopardy! clue in the category “Images of 2024” asked contestants to draw a striking visual connection between a 19th-century self-portrait and a major political event from the previous year. The clue read: “Item in common to a January 1889 self-portrait & several of those attending the 2024 Republican National Convention.”

What is a bandaged ear?

This pointed directly to the now-iconic imagery of former President Donald Trump wearing a prominent bandage on his right ear during the Republican National Convention (RNC) in July 2024—an image that drew immediate comparisons to Vincent van Gogh’s famous self-portrait following the mutilation of his own ear in 1888. The reference cleverly linked two moments separated by more than a century, both marked by public fascination and symbolic weight.

The 2024 Republican National Convention and the Bandage Symbol

At the 2024 RNC in Milwaukee, Donald Trump made his first major public appearance since surviving an assassination attempt just days earlier. On July 13, 2024, while speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump was grazed in the upper right ear by a bullet fired by a 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks. The dramatic moment, captured on video, showed Trump bleeding from the ear, raising his fist defiantly before being taken offstage by the Secret Service. He was treated and released the same day.

When he returned to the public stage at the RNC, Trump wore a large white bandage on his right ear—an image that resonated far beyond its medical purpose. Delegates and supporters turned it into a symbol of strength, some even donning imitation bandages in a gesture of solidarity. It quickly became one of the most talked-about visuals of the convention and an enduring image of the 2024 campaign season.

Van Gogh’s Bandaged Ear: A Historic Echo

The Jeopardy clue drew its other half from one of art history’s most famous self-portraits: Vincent van Gogh’s 1889 depiction of himself with a bandage covering his severed left ear. The painting was created shortly after the artist, during a period of mental instability, cut off part of his own ear. Like Trump’s bandaged appearance, van Gogh’s self-portrait is not just a physical record of injury but also a powerful symbol of resilience, vulnerability, and artistic legacy.

Though the historical and emotional contexts are vastly different, the visual similarity between the two—public figures marked by bandaged ears—offered a clever and compelling connection. Van Gogh’s painting has long been associated with suffering and the fragility of the human condition. Trump’s bandaged ear, by contrast, was cast in a political light, symbolizing survival and defiance following a violent attempt on his life.

The Power of a Visual Metaphor

The juxtaposition of Trump’s 2024 appearance with van Gogh’s self-portrait highlights the enduring power of visual metaphors. In both cases, the bandage came to represent more than an injury. For Trump supporters, it was a rallying image of a leader under attack but unbowed. For observers and commentators, it raised questions about the ways trauma and survival are communicated and commodified in the political arena.

Jeopardy’s use of this comparison served not only as a test of knowledge but also as a cultural reflection. Contestants needed to link recent headlines with art history and interpret a symbol seen in both—a deceptively simple bandage that carried deeply layered meaning in each context.

A Clue Rooted in Past and Present

Final Jeopardy clues often stand out when they blend historical knowledge with current events, and this one did exactly that. By referencing both Vincent van Gogh and the Republican National Convention, the clue called on contestants to think visually and contextually. The correct answer, a bandage on the ear, is a small but potent detail that ties together art, politics, violence, and symbolism—an image that will likely remain etched in the public memory long after the 2024 election cycle concludes.