Image: public domain, courtesy of The Art Institute of Chicago

The Bedroom

Vincent van Gogh, 1889

This is Van Gogh's own bedroom in the Yellow House in Arles, in the south of France. He chose bold, simple colours because he wanted the picture to feel restful, like a good night's sleep.

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Did you know?

Van Gogh painted this room three times: the first version is in Amsterdam, this one is in Chicago, and a third is in Paris.
The first version was damaged by water in a flood, so his brother Theo suggested he paint a copy of it.
This Chicago version was painted in September 1889 at Saint-Rémy, about a year after the first one.
At the same time he painted a third, smaller version as a gift for his mother and sister.
In a letter to Theo he listed his colours: violet walls, a red tiled floor and a green window.
In 2016 the Art Institute of Chicago brought all three bedrooms together in one exhibition.

About the artist

Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) was born in the Netherlands and worked there, in Paris, in the south of France at Arles and Saint-Rémy, and finally at Auvers-sur-Oise.

In only about ten years as an artist he created hundreds of vibrant paintings, among them Sunflowers, The Starry Night, Irises and The Bedroom.

He wrote more than 800 letters, most of them to his beloved brother Theo, full of warmth and of his joy in color and nature.

Vincent van Gogh ›

Where it is today: The Art Institute of Chicago · Museum page