Vincent's Bedroom

Vincent's Bedroom

Introduction In 1888, an artist named Vincent Van Gogh moved from the Netherlands to Arles, France. Vincent was drawn to the beauty and calm of Arles. He liked the way the light from the night stars glittered across the Rhone River and the way the sunlight glistened over the yellow wheat that grew on the rolling hills. Vincent spent most of his days outside, painting pictures of the fields, sky, and sunflowers. This was a new way to paint in the mid-1800s, as most artists up to that point had always painted inside a studio.

Painting Emotions Vincent was a man of many strong feelings. At times he felt sadder, angrier, or happier than other people. As his mind and his body churned with despair and delight, the emotions he felt led him to create some of his greatest paintings. He used color and his own style of putting color on the canvas with a brush to show his feelings.

One of his most famous paintings is called Starry Night. In Vincent's mind, the night sky above Arles swirled with emotion. The sky felt alive to him, and he was able to capture its energy in his painting. He painted the moon and bright yellow stars twirling in a navy blue sky.

Because Vincent's moods changed often, he understood that he needed a calm and cheerful place in which to live and work. So he rented a bright yellow house and created a bedroom that would help him feel safe and calm.

Comforting Bedroom In a letter written in October 1888 to his brother Theo, Vincent described his bedroom. Well , I have painted the walls pale violet. The ground with checked material. The wooden bed and the chairs. yellow like butter; the sheet and the pillows lemon light green. The bedspread, scarlet coloured. The window green. The washbasin, orangey.