The Bedroom
Vincent van Gogh painted his room in the Yellow House in Arles in October 1888. This first version belongs to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam; the Chicago and Paris paintings are later repetitions.
- October 1888
- Oil on canvas
About Vincent van Gogh
The room Van Gogh lived in
A wooden bed fills the right side of Vincent van Gogh's Bedroom. Two chairs, a small washstand, and pictures on the wall occupy the remaining space. There is no person in the room.
The bed's high footboard blocks part of the mattress. Floorboards run toward the far wall, while the near chair is cut off by the left edge. These choices place the viewer close to the furniture, as though standing just inside the room.
A painting intended to suggest rest
In his letter to Theo van Gogh dated October 16, 1888, Van Gogh explained that color was central to his plan. He wanted the bedroom painting to suggest rest and sleep. He described pale violet walls, a red coverlet, and furniture in warm yellow tones.
Although the surviving Bedroom has blue-looking walls, Van Gogh's October 16, 1888 letter describing pale violet walls records his intended color scheme. The letter does not prove that modern reproductions preserve every original color.
Van Gogh also described suppressing shading and using flat color in a manner he associated with Japanese prints. The strong outlines help a chair or bed remain distinct without detailed modeling in light and shade.
Why Amsterdam, Chicago, and Paris each have a Bedroom
The first version of The Bedroom was damaged by moisture, so Van Gogh painted another full-size version in September 1889 before the original underwent treatment.
Van Gogh made a smaller 1889 repetition of The Bedroom for his mother and sister Willemien. The 1888 original is in Amsterdam, the full-size 1889 repetition is in Chicago, and the smaller repetition is in Paris.
The Yellow House paintings
Sunflowers belongs to the same period of preparation for life and work in the Yellow House. The bouquet concentrates attention on one object. The Bedroom surrounds the viewer with several familiar possessions.
Close reading
Reading the work, detail by detail
Look at how the furniture occupies the room. Strong outlines, tilted edges, and broad color areas make each object readable without detailed shadows.
1.The footboard blocks the mattress
The near end of the bed is much larger than the far end. Its solid yellow area hides part of the mattress and brings the furniture close to the viewer.
2.A small table carries washing supplies
A few blue shapes describe the washing equipment. The tabletop tilts enough for its contents to be seen, while the legs show the space underneath.
3.The nearest chair is cut by the edge
Part of the chair falls outside the picture. That crop gives the room a close viewpoint and prevents the furniture from looking evenly arranged for display.
4.Green panes mark the back wall
The dark frame divides the window into distinct sections. Its upright lines contrast with the steep diagonals of the floor and bed.
5.Pictures hang above the bed
The uneven angles of the frames repeat the room's tilted edges. The small images also identify the bedroom as a space used by a painter.
6.Floorboards lead toward the furniture
Long strokes run from the bottom edge toward the back wall. Green seams remain visible through the pink-brown surface, giving the open floor more than one color.
Timeline
October 1888
Van Gogh painted the first version of The Bedroom in Arles and described it to Theo on October 16, 1888.
September 1889
Van Gogh painted the full-size repetition of The Bedroom now in Chicago in September 1889.
September 1889
In September 1889, Van Gogh made a smaller version of The Bedroom for his mother and sister. That painting is now in Paris.
Where to see it
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Check the collection’s website for current display and visiting information before planning a visit.
View the collection recordFrequently asked questions
Which version of The Bedroom is this?
Van Gogh painted the first version of The Bedroom in October 1888. It is now owned by the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
Was it Van Gogh's actual bedroom?
Van Gogh's The Bedroom depicts his room in the Yellow House in Arles.
Why does the room look tilted?
The floor and furniture create steep diagonals, while broad color areas and limited shading flatten the space. The result differs from a carefully measured architectural drawing.
What did Van Gogh want the painting to express?
In an October 16, 1888 letter, Vincent van Gogh told Theo that The Bedroom's colors and simple furnishings should suggest rest and sleep.
Where are the other two versions?
The Art Institute of Chicago owns the full-size September 1889 repetition. The Musée d'Orsay owns the smaller repetition made later that month.
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References
The sources below include collection records, catalogues, scholarly research, and primary materials that informed this page. They document The Bedroom, its making, and its place in cultural history.
1The Bedroom: public-domain reproduction
WebsiteWikimedia CommonsUsed forThe reproduction is the primary visual source for the close-reading details; rights metadata is preserved separately.
2The Bedroom: s0047V1962
WebsiteVan Gogh MuseumUsed forWeb source consulted for documented facts and historical context presented on the The Bedroom page.
View source3Letter 705 to Theo van Gogh, October 16, 1888
WebsiteVan Gogh Museum and Huygens INGUsed forWeb source consulted for documented facts and historical context presented on the The Bedroom page.
4Van Gogh's Bedrooms: about the paintings
WebsiteArt Institute of ChicagoUsed forWeb source consulted for documented facts and historical context presented on the The Bedroom page.
These references provide the documented foundation for this work's history and interpretation. Claim-level citations remain attached to the specific claims they support.
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