Elena Rossi
Vincent van Gogh moved to Arles, France, in February 1888, seeking refuge from the bustle of city life and the cold northern climate. During his time in Arles, van Gogh completed 200 paintings and more than 100 drawings and watercolours. He was inspired by the local countryside and light, and his works from this period are rich in yellow, ultramarine and mauve. He painted harvests, wheat fields, sunflowers, and other rural landmarks in and around Arles. Van Gogh also painted portraits and still lifes, and experimented with swirling brush strokes and intense colours. His time in Arles is considered one of his most prolific periods, and he produced several famous masterpieces, including 'The Sower' (1888), 'The Night Cafe' (1888), and 'Starry Night Over the Rhone' (1889).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of paintings completed in Arles | 187 or 200 |
| Number of drawings and watercolours completed in Arles | More than 100 |
| Time period in Arles | February 1888 – May 1889 |
| Notable paintings from Arles period | 'The Sower' (1888), 'The Night Cafe' (1888), 'The Café Terrace on the Place du Forum' (1888), 'Starry Night over the Rhone' (1889), 'Bedroom in Arles' (1888), 'The Yellow House' (1888), 'Jardin d'Ete' (1888), 'L'Hôpital d'Arles' (1888), 'Café terrace at Night' (1888), 'Le Pont' (1888), 'Vase with 12 Sunflowers' (1888), 'Van Gogh's Chair' (1888), 'Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear' (1889) |
| Themes and subjects | Harvest scenes, wheat fields, sunflowers, portraits, still lifes, local olive groves, rural landscapes, bridges, parks and gardens, cityscapes, cafes, hospitals |
| Artistic style | Bold colours, dynamic brushstrokes, use of yellow, green and blue, swirling brushstrokes |
| Artistic influences | Japanese prints, desire to modernise peasant genre paintings |
| Notable associates in Arles | Paul Gauguin, Émile Bernard, Dodge MacKnight, Eugène Boch, Christian Mourier-Petersen, Joseph Roulin |
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What You'll Learn
Van Gogh's time in Arles was one of his most productive periods
Vincent van Gogh moved to Arles, France, in February 1888. He was tired of life in Paris and longed for the sunshine and vibrant colours of the south. He was particularly inspired by the countryside of Arles, which aligned with his admiration for Japanese prints and his desire to find the light, colours, and harmony of Provence.
Van Gogh's time in Arles was indeed one of his most productive periods. In the 12 months he stayed in Arles, he produced an incredible 187 paintings and drawings. Some sources state that he completed 200 paintings and more than 100 drawings and watercolours during this time. He was energised by the local countryside and light, and his works from this period are rich in yellow, ultramarine, and mauve.
Van Gogh's paintings from this period include harvest scenes, wheat fields, and other rural landmarks. He also painted portraits and still lifes. Notable works from this period include 'The Sower' (1888), 'The Night Cafe' (1888), 'The Café Terrace on the Place du Forum' (1888), 'Starry Night over the Rhone' (1889), 'Jardin d'Ete' (1888), 'L'Hôpital d'Arles' (1888), 'Café terrace at Night' (1888), 'Le Pont' (1888), 'Vase with 12 Sunflowers' (1888), 'Van Gogh's Chair' (1888), and 'Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear' (1889).
During his time in Arles, Van Gogh invited the artist Paul Gauguin to join him, and they lived and painted together for two months. This period was extremely productive for both artists, and they produced around 80 paintings together. However, their relationship deteriorated due to heavy drinking and their differing temperaments. Van Gogh suffered from mental health issues during his time in Arles, including a psychotic episode in December 1888, during which he mutilated his ear.
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He completed 200 paintings and 100+ drawings and watercolours
Vincent van Gogh moved to Arles in February 1888. He was tired of the bustle of city life and longed for the sunshine and vibrant colours of the south. He was inspired by Japanese prints and hoped to find the light, colours, and harmony of these prints in Provence. Van Gogh certainly found what he was looking for in Arles, and his time there was one of his most prolific periods.
He completed 200 paintings and more than 100 drawings and watercolours. This period helped establish Van Gogh's reputation as a Master. He was energised by the local countryside and light, and his works from this period are rich in yellow, ultramarine, and mauve. They include harvests, wheat fields, and general rural landmarks from the area.
Van Gogh's paintings from this period include 'The Sower' (1888), 'The Night Cafe' (1888), 'The Café Terrace on the Place du Forum' (1888), 'Starry Night over the Rhone' (1889), 'Jardin d'Ete' (1888), 'L'Hôpital d'Arles' (1888), 'Café Terrace at Night' (1888), 'Le Pont' (1888), 'Vase with 12 Sunflowers' (1888), 'Van Gogh's Chair' (1888), and 'Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear' (1889).
Van Gogh also painted portraits and still lifes during this period. He confessed to his brother Theo, "I am painting with the gusto of a Marseillais eating bouillabaisse". Van Gogh's period in Arles was prolific, and he produced some of his most famous masterpieces.
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He was inspired by the local countryside, light and colours
Vincent van Gogh moved to Arles in 1888, seeking a change from the bustle of city life. He found inspiration in the local countryside, light, and colours of Arles, which is evident in the numerous paintings and drawings he produced during his time there.
The landscapes of Arles captivated van Gogh, and he often chose ordinary subjects for his artwork, such as bridges, viaducts, and the banks of the river Rhône. The tree-lined old Roman cemetery of Les Alyscamps, with its ancient sarcophagi, provided a unique setting for his colourful landscapes. He also painted the Canal Roubine du Roi, located just northeast of the town.
During his time in Arles, van Gogh was particularly inspired by the plains of La Crau, which he depicted in his famous "Harvest" painting and three drawings. He also created "La Crau with Peach Trees in Blossom", one of his last paintings around Arles. The region's vibrant colours and sunshine influenced his expressive painting style, characterised by bold colours and dynamic brushstrokes.
Van Gogh's time in Arles was also marked by his interest in Japan and Japanese art. His early drawings from Arles were influenced by the size of Japanese prints and the quick, expressive brushstrokes of Japanese artists. He created watercolours with broad, flat areas of colour, inspired by Japanese woodblock prints, showcasing his experimentation with colour and form.
The Van Gogh Pedestrian Path in Arles highlights the locations that inspired the artist, including the abbey and its environs, which became the subject of the "Montmajour series". This path allows visitors to follow in van Gogh's footsteps and experience the landscapes that influenced his masterpieces.
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He painted ordinary subjects and landscapes
Vincent van Gogh moved to Arles in February 1888, seeking refuge from the bustle and demands of city life in Paris. He was inspired by the warmer weather and the bright light and colours of the south, which he had first admired in Japanese prints and later sought to find in Provence.
During his time in Arles, van Gogh painted ordinary subjects and landscapes. He was energised by the local countryside and light, and his works from this period are rich in yellow, ultramarine and mauve. He painted local olive groves, wheat fields, sunflowers, and harvest scenes. He also painted portraits and still lifes, including a series of portraits of his friend Joseph Roulin and his family.
Van Gogh was particularly fond of painting bridges and viaducts, notably the Langlois Bridge at Arles and the Trinquetaille bridge. He also painted the banks of the river Rhône and the Canal Roubine du Roi, just northeast of the town. He admired the serene qualities of parks and gardens and painted both in Arles, with the public garden next to the Roman Theatre becoming the subject of four paintings, which he called "The Poet's Garden".
Van Gogh's period in Arles is regarded as one of his most prolific, with some sources stating that he completed 200 paintings and more than 100 drawings and watercolours during his time there. Other sources state that he produced 187 paintings and drawings during his 12 months in Arles.
During his time in Arles, van Gogh also collaborated with the artist Paul Gauguin, who joined him in October 1888. The two artists lived and painted together for two months, producing around 80 paintings during this time. However, their relationship gradually deteriorated due to heavy drinking and their differing temperaments.
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He painted alongside Paul Gauguin for two months
Vincent van Gogh moved to Arles in 1888, chasing the brilliant light of Provence and hoping to establish a "studio of the south". He invited Paul Gauguin to join him, and Gauguin accepted, swayed by the promise of financial support from Van Gogh's brother, Theo, an art dealer. The two artists worked together in Arles for two months, a period that was highly productive for both men. Van Gogh made 36 canvases during this time, while Gauguin completed 21.
The two artists had very different artistic styles and personalities. Van Gogh painted with raw emotion and colour, while Gauguin favoured symbolism and structure. Their collaboration was intense, and it may have intensified their differences. After a few attempts at painting from imagination, Van Gogh retreated to strict study from nature. Gauguin experimented with some of Van Gogh's subjects, such as Arles locals, washerwomen, and peasants, but he always depicted them in his own way. For example, in response to Van Gogh's "The Night Café in the Place Lamartine in Arles", Gauguin painted "Night Café in Arles, Madame Ginoux", which art historian Bradley Collins believes is a caricature of Van Gogh's original work.
The two artists also painted portraits of each other. Gauguin's "The Painter of Sunflowers" (1888) captured Van Gogh fully absorbed in his work, with hooded eyes and a blank stare. When Van Gogh saw it, he commented, "That's me, alright, but it's me gone mad."
Despite their productive collaboration, tension grew between the two men, and their differences eventually erupted into a heated argument. Van Gogh suffered a breakdown, cutting off part of his ear, and Gauguin left soon afterward, marking the tragic end of their collaboration.
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Frequently asked questions
Van Gogh completed 200 paintings during his time in Arles, as well as over 100 drawings and watercolours.
Van Gogh moved to Arles on 20 February 1888. He stayed for 12 months before leaving on 8 May 1889 to be voluntarily committed to a psychiatric institution.
Van Gogh was energised by the local countryside and light. He was inspired by the colours of the south, and his works from this period are rich in yellow, ultramarine and mauve. He also painted portraits and still-lives, and decided to modernise the genre of peasant paintings by choosing the subject of the sower. During his time in Arles, Van Gogh also produced around 80 paintings with Paul Gauguin, with whom he lived and painted for two months.
