Isabella Flores
Vincent van Gogh's The Bedroom (1888) is one of the most famous paintings in art history. Van Gogh created three distinct versions of this painting, with the first conceived in October 1888, a month after he moved into his beloved Yellow House in Arles, France. The painting depicts Van Gogh's bedroom at 2, Place Lamartine in Arles, known as the Yellow House. The first version is currently in the collection of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the second belongs to the Art Institute of Chicago, and the third smaller canvas is on permanent display in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Versions | 3 |
| Locations | Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam; Art Institute of Chicago; Musée d'Orsay, Paris |
| Date of Creation | October 1888 (first version); September 1889 (second and third versions) |
| Medium | Oil painting |
| Colours Used | Pale violet, red, yellow, light greenish-citron, scarlet, green, orange, blue, lilac |
| Composition | Trapezoid-shaped room with an obtuse angle in the left-hand corner of the front wall and an acute angle on the right |
| Inspiration | Van Gogh's bedroom at 2, Place Lamartine in Arles, France, known as the "Yellow House" |
| Purpose | To give his brother, Theo, an idea of his new home and to decorate his family's home |
| Related Works | Van Gogh's "empty chair" painting at the National Gallery, London |
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What You'll Learn
Van Gogh's three versions of 'The Bedroom'
Vincent van Gogh created three versions of his painting "The Bedroom". The first version was painted in October 1888, a month after he moved into his "Yellow House" in Arles, France. This was the first home that Van Gogh owned, and he decorated it enthusiastically. After exhausting himself, he spent two and a half days in bed and then decided to paint his bedroom.
In a letter to his brother Theo, Van Gogh described his intentions for the painting:
> "This time it simply reproduces my bedroom; but colour must be abundant in this part, its simplification adding a rank of grandee to the style applied to the objects, getting to suggest a certain rest or dream. Well, I have thought that on watching the composition we stop thinking and imagining. I have painted the walls pale violet. The ground with checked material. The wooden bed and the chairs, yellow like fresh butter; the sheet and the pillows, lemon light green. The bedspread, scarlet coloured. The window, green. The washbasin, orangey; the tank, blue. The doors, lilac. And, that is all. There is not anything else in this room with closed shutters. The square pieces of furniture must express unswerving rest; also the portraits on the wall, the mirror, the bottle, and some costumes."
The first version of "The Bedroom" was damaged by flooding in the Yellow House. While at an asylum in Saint-Rémy, Van Gogh asked his brother Theo to have the painting reinforced with a lining, but Theo suggested that Van Gogh paint a copy before such a risky procedure was attempted. In September 1889, Van Gogh created the second version of "The Bedroom", identical in scale but distinct from the original. Three weeks later, he painted a third version on a slightly smaller scale as a gift for his mother and sister.
The three versions of "The Bedroom" were brought together for an exhibition entitled "Van Gogh's Bedrooms" at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2016. The paintings differ in the pictures on the wall to the right of the bedroom.
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The painting's colour scheme
Vincent van Gogh's "The Bedroom" is among the most famous paintings in art history. He created three distinct versions of the painting, with the first conceived in October 1888, a month after he moved into his beloved "Yellow House" in Arles, France. This marked the first time the artist had a home of his own, and he enthusiastically decorated it, painting a suite of canvases to fill the walls.
The colour scheme of "The Bedroom" is a testament to Van Gogh's mastery of colour. He intentionally used colour to evoke a sense of rest and peace, writing to his brother Theo, "I have thought that on watching the composition we stop thinking and imagining... colour must be abundant in this part, its simplification adding a rank of grandee to the style applied to the objects, getting to suggest a certain rest or dream."
The walls in "The Bedroom" are painted in pale violet, although it is worth noting that due to the deterioration of pigments, the walls now appear to have a bluish tone. The floor is composed of red tiles, providing a warm and inviting foundation to the space. The wooden bed and chairs are painted in a bright, buttery yellow, creating a cheerful and sunny atmosphere. The sheets and pillows are depicted in a light greenish-citron or lemon light green, adding a fresh and calming element to the composition.
The bedspread, or coverlet, is a bold scarlet colour, providing a vibrant focal point to the scene. The window is painted in green, allowing natural light to filter through and illuminate the room. The toilet table, or washbasin, is a bright orange, while the basin is a contrasting blue, adding depth and interest to the colour palette. The doors are painted in lilac, a soft and subtle shade that complements the other colours in the room.
Overall, the colour scheme of "The Bedroom" reflects Van Gogh's intention to create a restful and peaceful atmosphere. The colours are bright and cheerful, yet simultaneously evoke a sense of simplicity and calm. The use of colour in "The Bedroom" is a testament to Van Gogh's artistic skill and his ability to convey emotion and atmosphere through his choice of palette.
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The 'paintings within a painting'
Vincent van Gogh's "The Bedroom" is not just a painting of his bedroom—it is a painting that captures the artist's own space, a place of rest and dreaming, and it includes "paintings within the painting". The two portraits adorning the side wall near the ceiling are of his artist friend Eugène Boch and the Zouave soldier Paul-Eugène Milliet. Below these portraits are two works that may be Japanese prints, set in white mounts. Above the bedhead is a landscape with a large tree, which may represent a lost Van Gogh painting of the hill of Montmajour.
The inclusion of these works within the painting offers a glimpse into Van Gogh's world and his artistic interests. The portraits of his friends are a personal touch, bringing their presence into his private space. The potential Japanese prints speak to Van Gogh's appreciation of Japanese art, which influenced his own style and use of colour. The lost landscape, possibly of Montmajour, adds a layer of mystery and invites further exploration of the artist's oeuvre.
These "paintings within the painting" are not merely decorative elements but carry their own stories and significance. They reflect Van Gogh's relationships, influences, and the broader artistic context of his time. By including them in "The Bedroom", Van Gogh created a dialogue between his personal space and the outside world, bringing together his intimate surroundings and the artistic community he was a part of.
Beyond the portraits and landscapes, "The Bedroom" itself is a testament to Van Gogh's mastery of colour and composition. The room, with its violet walls, red-tiled floor, and yellow butter-hued furniture, exudes a sense of warmth and peace. The simplicity of the composition and the lack of shadows contribute to the overall atmosphere of rest and tranquility.
Through his use of colour and composition, Van Gogh achieved his stated intention for the painting: "looking at the picture ought to rest the brain, or rather the imagination". "The Bedroom" invites viewers into a space of repose, where the mind can wander and dream, much like Van Gogh himself as he smoked his pipe in bed, dreaming up some of his finest creations.
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The Yellow House in Arles
The house, located at 2 Place Lamartine, Arles, had four rooms. Van Gogh occupied two large rooms on the ground floor as a workshop and kitchen, and on the first floor, he had two smaller rooms facing Place Lamartine. One of these was his bedroom, and the other was a guest room where Paul Gauguin lived for nine weeks from late October 1888. Van Gogh nicknamed the building the Yellow House and planned to decorate its interior with his own paintings. He envisioned it as a ""Studio of the South," a place where artists could live and work together.
To decorate the house, Van Gogh painted a number of works, including four sunflower compositions, The Public Garden with a Couple Strolling, The Tarascon Stagecoach, The Night Café, Starry Night Over the Rhône, and The Trinquetaille Bridge. He also created three versions of his famous Bedroom painting, inspired by his bedroom in the Yellow House. The first was completed in October 1888, just after he moved into the house, and is now in the collection of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The second, identical in scale but with distinct details, is part of the Art Institute's permanent collection in Chicago. The third, a smaller canvas, resides in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, created as a gift for his mother and sister.
Unfortunately, the Yellow House was damaged by flooding during Van Gogh's time there, and later, in 1944, it was severely damaged by bombing raids during World War II and subsequently demolished. Despite the house's demise, Van Gogh's paintings immortalized it, capturing the warmth and vibrancy of his beloved home in Arles.
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The painting's perspective
Vincent van Gogh's "The Bedroom" is not just one painting, but three distinct versions, with the first conceived in October 1888, a month after he moved into his beloved "Yellow House" in Arles, France. This marked the first time the artist had a home of his own, and he enthusiastically decorated and painted a suite of canvases to fill the walls. Exhausted from the effort, he spent two and a half days in bed and was inspired to create a painting of his bedroom.
The first version of "The Bedroom" is now in the collection of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Van Gogh was very pleased with this painting, and his friend, artist Paul Gauguin, who moved in a week later, also admired it. This version is a faithful depiction of Van Gogh's bedroom at the time, including the portraits that appear on the wall. Unfortunately, flooding in the Yellow House later that year damaged some of the artist's canvases, including the first "The Bedroom". While in an asylum in Saint-Rémy, Van Gogh asked his brother Theo to have the painting reinforced with a lining, but Theo suggested he paint a copy before attempting such a risky procedure.
In September 1889, Van Gogh created the second version, identical in scale but distinct from the original, and now an icon of the Art Institute's permanent collection in Chicago. Three weeks later, he painted a third version on a slightly reduced scale as a gift for his mother and sister, Willemien. These "reductions" were intended as gifts but more importantly as visual testaments to his progress as an artist. This third version is now at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.
While the three paintings initially appear almost identical, upon closer examination, each reveals distinct and unique details. The "paintings within a painting" are intriguing aspects of "The Bedroom" series. The two works along the side wall, near the ceiling, are portraits of his artist friend Eugène Boch and the Zouave soldier Paul-Eugène Milliet. Below them are two works that might be Japanese prints. Above the bedhead is a landscape with a large tree. No such landscape survives, so it could represent a lost Van Gogh, possibly of the hill of Montmajour.
Van Gogh was a master of colour, and in "The Bedroom", he used it to create a scene that is bright and sunny, yet simultaneously restful and peaceful, owing to the simplicity of composition, line, and the lack of shadow. He wrote to his brother Theo about his intentions for the painting:
> "This time it simply reproduces my bedroom; but colour must be abundant in this part, its simplification adding a rank of grandee to the style applied to the objects, getting to suggest a certain rest or dream. Well, I have thought that on watching the composition we stop thinking and imagining. [...] The square pieces of furniture must express unswerving rest; also the portraits on the wall, the mirror, the bottle, and some costumes."
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Frequently asked questions
There are three versions of "The Bedroom", with the first conceived in October 1888, the second painted a year later, and the third created three weeks after the second.
The first painting is in the collection of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The second belongs to the Art Institute of Chicago. The third is on permanent display in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
Van Gogh wanted to give his brother, Theo, an idea of his new home in Arles, France, which he had just moved into and was decorating enthusiastically. He intended for the painting to have a restful and peaceful effect on the viewer.
"The Bedroom" is a still life painting on an enormous scale. It depicts Van Gogh's bedroom in the "Yellow House" in Arles, France. The composition includes portraits on the wall, a mirror, a bottle, and some costumes.
Van Gogh used a variety of colours in "The Bedroom", including pale violet walls, a red-tiled floor, a yellow bed and chairs, light green sheets and pillows, a scarlet bedspread, a green window, an orange washbasin, a blue tank, and lilac doors.
