Van Gogh's Bedroom in Arles by Vincent Van Gogh Postcard

Van Gogh's Bedroom in Arles by Vincent Van Gogh, oil on canvas 1889, depicts the humble room where the artist slept while working in Arles in the south of France, and is another version of the Bedroom in Arles series that began in 1888. Flattened areas of luminous color bounded by thick outlines define the bed, cane chairs, nightstand table, washing basin and artwork decorating the walls, with subtle contrasts of the warm honey yellows of the bed and chairs with the cool, soothing blue/violet greys of the interior walls. In the center the rusty red blanket punctuates the composition. The art on the walls are clearly a Van Gogh landscape, portrait, and self-portrait. The mature, Post-Impressionist style of The Bedroom in Arles series of paintings emotes feelings of tranquility and rest in its variations of color within the same compositional scheme. Vincent Van Gogh (1853 - 1890) was a Dutch painter of the Post-Impressionist movement known for bold, expressive drawing, swirling brushstrokes and bold, heightened colors. In early adulthood Van Gogh worked as an art dealer, teacher and pastor before taking up the full time study of drawing and painting in his late twenties. Influenced by Rembrandt, the 19th century Realists and Barbizon school, Van Gogh's early paintings featured studies of workers and peasants in somber earth tones. Moving to France in 1886, Van Gogh met with the startling innovations of the Impressionist painters and began to apply their approach to color and subject matter, which continued into the mature style for which the artist is most renowned. Van Gogh produced many hundreds of drawings and paintings including portraits, landscapes, still life and flower paintings, and numerous self-portraits that became a dominating influence on the modern art of the 20th century and made him one of the most popular artists of all time.