Ten Essential Van Gogh Paintings: From Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear to Starry Night
Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) produced more than 2,000 pieces of art over a span of ten years, receiving little recognition while alive. Today, however, his works rank among the most celebrated. Notable pieces include: Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (1889), which alludes to his ear injury following a dispute with Paul Gauguin; The Potato Eaters (1885), featuring five peasants; Sunflowers (1888), with one version fetching $39.9 million; Café Terrace at Night (1888), created on September 16; Starry Night Over the Rhône (1888); The Bedroom (1888); Irises (1889), painted during his initial week at the Saint-Rémy asylum; Wheatfield with Cypresses (1889); Almond Blossom (1890), dedicated to his brother Theo’s son; and Starry Night (1889). Van Gogh passed away on July 29, 1890.
Key facts
- Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) completed over 2,000 artworks in just over a decade.
- Van Gogh cut off his left ear in December 1888 after an argument with Paul Gauguin in Arles, France.
- The Potato Eaters was painted in 1885 in Nuenen, Netherlands.
- Sunflowers has seven versions; one privately held version sold on March 30, 1987, for $39.9 million to Yasuo Goto.
- Café Terrace at Night was created on the evening of September 16, 1888, at the Place du Forum in Arles.
- Irises was painted during Van Gogh's first week at the Saint-Rémy asylum, where he completed almost 130 paintings in his last year.
- Wheatfield with Cypresses was created in three versions in the summer of 1889.
- Almond Blossom was painted in 1890 as a gift for Theo van Gogh's son, Vincent Willem.
- Starry Night (1889) was inspired by the view from Van Gogh's asylum window in Saint-Rémy.
- Van Gogh died on July 29, 1890, two days after shooting himself in the stomach; his brother Theo died six months later.
Entities
Artists
- Vincent van Gogh
- Paul Gauguin
- John Russell
- Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
- Lucien Pissarro
- Paul Gachet
- Louis Anquetin
- Émile Bernard
- Adolphe Monticelli
- Theo van Gogh
- Vincent Willem van Gogh
- Wil van Gogh
Institutions
- Courtauld Institute of Art
- Van Gogh Museum
- National Gallery
- Kröller-Müller Museum
- Musée d’Orsay
- Getty Museum
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Museum of Modern Art
- Salon des Indépendants
- Peintres du Petit Boulevard
- Connaissance des Arts
Locations
- Arles
- France
- Nuenen
- Netherlands
- Borinage
- Belgium
- Saint-Rémy
- Auvers-sur-Oise
- Paris
- London
- Amsterdam
- Otterlo
- Los Angeles
- New York
- Montmartre