The Bedroom

The Bedroom
by Vincent van Gogh (1888)

Vincent van Gogh’s The Bedroom offers an intimate look into the artist’s personal world—his sanctuary, his solitude, and his search for peace. Painted in October 1888 during his time in Arles, this quiet interior scene reveals far more than just furniture; it captures Van Gogh’s desire for rest, stability, and a sense of belonging.

The room depicted is Van Gogh’s own bedroom in the “Yellow House,” where he hoped to establish a shared space for artists. The composition is simple: a bed, chairs, a small table, and artwork on the walls. Yet everything is rendered in Van Gogh’s unmistakable style—bold contours, tilted perspectives, and expressive color.

Nothing in the painting is entirely still. The walls lean, the furniture seems alive, and color carries emotional weight. The warm reds and cool blues suggest both comfort and tension, while the skewed perspective pulls the viewer directly into Van Gogh’s psychological space.

Van Gogh considered this painting one of his most important works, revisiting it in two later versions. For him, The Bedroom was not just a depiction of a physical place, but a reflection of his inner life—a visual diary of longing, fragility, and hope.

Today, it stands as one of the most personal and poignant paintings of the modern era.