The Bedroom

About this artwork

Perhaps the most famous depiction of a bedroom in Western art history, this vibrant painting documents Vincent van Gogh’s sleeping quarters in his beloved “Yellow House” in Arles, France. The composition exists in three versions, the first of which Van Gogh conceived in October 1888, a month after he moved into the home. In a letter to his brother Theo, he described having painted “the walls pale lilac, the floor in a broken and faded red, the chairs and the bed chrome yellow, the pillows and th...

Art Historical Context

In Vincent van Gogh’s *The Bedroom*, a simple interior unfolds with clear, inviting details. A sturdy wooden bed with rumpled white linens and a vivid red coverlet dominates the right side, while two yellow chairs and a small table holding a pitcher and basin occupy the left. A green-shuttered window lets in light at the back, and the blue walls are lined with small framed pictures and hanging garments. The floorboards angle sharply toward the viewer, rendered in quick, visible strokes of green, pink, and brown that give the room a lively, slightly tilted energy. Painted in 1889 in oil on canvas, this work belongs to Van Gogh’s series of bedroom scenes created during his time

About the Artist

Vincent van Gogh · 1853–1890

Vincent Willem van Gogh (1853-1890) stands as one of the most influential figures in Western art history, despite a career spanning merely a decade. Born in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands, to a Protestant pastor's family, van Gogh's path to artistic greatness was anything but conventional. His early adulthood saw him working as an art dealer for Goupil & Cie, a language teacher, and a fervent missiona...