After googling: Yep, that's a van Gogh reference.

https://www.vangoghgallery.com/misc/van-goghs-ear.html

> Vincent took the ear and wrapped it in newspaper. With a hat pulled down over his wound, he, with ear in hand, left the house to go to a “maison de tolerance”, a brothel close to the house. There he asked for a girl named Rachel who he gave the ear to saying “Guard this object carefully.”