17 Famous Van Gogh Paintings To Know in 2024
Artistic scholars often explore famous Van Gogh paintings due to his massive cultural and artistic influence. Van Gogh was an inspirational Dutch Post Impressionist painter whose work is adored and highly respected. His style is easily identifiable, and he has created some of the most highly reproduced art in the world.
Van Gogh has many highly acclaimed pieces, and his work is featured in some of the most prominent art museums in the world. There is no doubt that his paintings are famous. The question is, what is the most famous picture of Van Gogh? And where are the most famous Van Gogh paintings? This article will list the most famous Van Gogh paintings and more Van Gogh facts.
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Who Was Vincent Van Gogh?
Vincent Van Gogh was a Dutch post-impressionist painter who lived from 1853 to 1890. He created over 900 paintings and hundreds more drawings and sketches in his short time as a painter and an artist. You have likely heard of some famous Van Gogh paintings, such as Starry Night or the Vincent Van Gogh Sunflowers. He is now considered a world-renowned painter, and his work continues to inspire people to this day.
Where are the most famous Van Gogh paintings? They appear in locations such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Fine Arts, among others. He even has a dedicated museum in Amsterdam, Holland called Van Gogh Museum for all original Van Gogh paintings.
Why Are Van Gogh's Paintings So Famous?
Famous Van Gogh paintings are known to center around color and movement. He used vibrant shades of blue and yellow in his work and was a master of contrast. His paintings focused less on the physical subjects and more on the emotions and movements in a subject. Because of this, they are incredibly unique and recognizable. If you were shown nearly any Van Gogh painting, it would be easy to attribute it to him even if you had not seen the specific painting before. His style is original and eye-catching. This is why Van Gogh’s work as a whole is so famous, but what are the most famous Van Gogh paintings?
Most Famous Van Gogh In Order by Date
1. The Potato Eaters (1885)
Many consider The Potato Eaters the artist’s first true masterpiece and one of the earliest famous Van Gogh paintings. At the time, he was still fairly new to painting. His goal was to create figures that appeared as if they were existing naturally rather than stiff, highly posed models. The painting portrays five figures huddled around a table in a dimly lit room, sharing a simple meal of potatoes.
Van Gogh's use of dark, earthy tones emphasizes the scene's raw, unpolished nature, reflecting the labor and struggles of impoverished people. The coarse, expressive brushstrokes add to the emotional depth, highlighting the hands and faces of the peasants as they interact with their meal, symbolizing their connection to the land. The painting did not come out as Van Gogh wished; the colors were far darker than he originally intended, but many believe this led to it being even more successful than his original idea. The creation of this painting may have led to the creation of some more famous Van Gogh paintings in later years.
2. Self-portrait with Straw Hat (1887-88)
Van Gogh painted over 35 self-portraits throughout his career, and many could make it onto this list of famous Van Gogh paintings. He enjoyed painting self-portraits throughout different stages of his life to portray his emotional state at the time of creation. Van Gogh was by no means a wealthy man and could not afford professional models, so to hone his craft as a portrait artist, he would paint himself in the mirror.
His portraits are all raw and realistic. Some of the most famous Van Gogh paintings do not idealize him in any way; they present him as if he were in the moment. Self Portrait with Straw Hat is no exception to this. This painting shows Van Gogh as not only an artist, but also a working man. It is not only one of Van Gogh’s most famous portraits, but also one of the most famous Van Gogh paintings in general. The piece was once vibrant with vivid contrasting colors, but the paint has faded with time. Originally, the background would have been a vivid purple, causing his yellow hat to stand out.
3. Sunflowers (series, 1888)
The Vincent Van Gogh sunflowers are some of his most famous paintings. Sunflowers are a commonly recurring subject matter in his work. His sunflower pieces are some of his most recognizable, and are among the top famous Van Gogh paintings. This series contains five sunflower paintings done during his time in Arles. To him, sunflowers communicated gratitude. These beautiful works show Van Gogh’s love for repetition, and his common use of the color yellow. Behind Starry Night, these paintings may be the most easily identifiable of his collection.
4. The Café Terrace at Night (1888)
Van Gogh once wrote that, “The night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.” This shows in many of his works, including The Café Terrace at Night. Van Gogh loved to paint rich and vibrant night scenes filled with color and life. In this painting, he contrasts the yellow of the café with the blue night sky. People are shown walking around and enjoying the night. The piece shows beauty in the mundane. It has earned its place as one of the most famous Van Gogh paintings.
5. The Bedroom (1888)
Van Gogh painted The Bedroom during his time in Arles, based on his own bedroom in the yellow house. This painting is inspired by Japanese prints, and the perspective is purposefully askew to give the piece a flattened affect. We know that this was one of Van Gogh’s favorite paintings from his letters, and it has now rightfully earned its place amongst the most famous Van Gogh paintings.
6. The Night Café (1888)
The Night Café was inspired by Van Gogh’s time in Arles. Every time he would go to this café, he would observe the people inside, most of them drunk and unpleasant company. This famous Van Gogh painting was purposefully made to appear ugly to reflect Van Gogh's distaste for this environment. The red and yellow hues clash with the greens, which were used to portray how white furniture appeared at night. Despite its unpleasant appearance, The Night Café remains amongst some of the most famous Van Gogh paintings.
7. Starry Night Over the Rhône (1888)
Starry Night Over the Rhône shows a beautiful depiction of the night sky, the light from the stars reflecting off of the water. Van Gogh is very well known for his iconic depiction of swirling stars, and this painting really highlights that. It is a staple of his style. With all of the brilliant reflections and the beautiful yellow and blue hues, it is no wonder this is one of the most famous Van Gogh paintings. Artists frequently study this Van Gogh painting in order to better understand the artist and his unique techniques.
8. The Red Vineyard (1888)
The famous Van Gogh painting the Red Vineyard, was created while the artist was in Arles in the autumn months. He was infatuated by the brilliant warm hues of the scene. In a letter, Van Gogh described the scene of the red vineyard to be “ purplish yellow green under the blue sky, a beautiful, color motif." This work beautifully contrasts shades of red and green, showing Van Gogh’s mastery of color. It is easily one of the most famous Van Gogh paintings.
9. Fishing Boats on the Beach (1888)
Fishing Boats on the Beach is among the most famous Van Gogh paintings. He painted the boats from observation and added the beach later. We continue to see Van Gogh’s interest in Japanese art in this painting. He was not the only artist influenced by Japanese artwork. Art in Context states that its history stretches as far back as the 10th millennium BCE and remains one of the most influential sources of artistic inspiration across art and popular culture.
In this famous van Gogh painting, the boats are flat and do not cast shadows on the rest of the piece, a common trait in Japanese woodblock prints from the time. This painting shows Van Gogh’s classic use of yellow and blue as the primary colors in the composition.
10. Van Gogh’s Chair (1888)
Van Gogh’s Chair was made as a pair to the painting Gaugin’s chair. Gaugin was a fellow artist that Van Gogh hoped to share a studio with. These paintings were made while their relationship was strained, and the possibility of them sharing a studio became increasingly unlikely. The empty chair reflects the somberness Van Gogh was feeling as he painted this. In a way, the chair comes to represent the artist himself. This somber piece is a beautiful example of personification and symbolism in art and is among one of the most famous Van Gogh paintings.
11. The Sower (1888)
Van Gogh painted over 30 sowers throughout his career, but only one is amongst the most famous Van Gogh paintings. The colors of this piece reflect Van Gogh’s iconic painting style. The yellow and blue background contrasts beautifully with the darker foreground of the sower and tree.The sun frames the sower’s face as if it were a halo, making him appear saintly.
12. Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear (1889)
If there is one thing Van Gogh is known for besides his artwork, it is the fact that he chopped off his own ear. This is probably why this self-portrait is one of the most famous Van Gogh paintings. This portrait depicts Van Gogh with a bandaged ear, serving as a moment of vulnerability and resilience. The portrait not only shows his physical wounds but also his mental struggles, giving the viewer insight into his personal life and the many challenges he faced.
13. The Starry Night (1889)
It is no surprise that Starry Night is one of the most well known original Van Gogh paintings. Starry Night is not only Van Gogh’s most famous work, but it is one of the most reproduced artworks of all time. From t-shirts to tote bags, everyone has seen this painting somewhere. So why is Starry Night so famous? Starry night is a beautiful expression of emotion and movement.
The swirling shapes are eye-catching and memorable. Van Gogh painted this view many times from the window of his asylum, though Starry Night is by far the best known depiction. Not only that, it is one of the most famous Van Gogh paintings from his entire career. How much is Starry Night worth? This beautiful painting is worth upwards of a hundred million dollars, though many would consider it priceless. It truly is one of a kind and an extraordinary painting that is highly regarded throughout the art community.
14. Irises (1889)
Van Gogh painted Irises during his stay at the psychiatric hospital in Saint-Rémy. The piece was made as a color study. The purple flowers were placed against a yellow background to help them stand out. With Van Gogh being so well known for his use of color, it is no wonder this is among the most famous Van Gogh paintings. Irises originally would have been even more contrasting. The flowers were originally a vibrant purple, but the red paint faded away with time, leaving us to only imagine what the painting was intended to look like.
15. Wheat Field with Cypresses (1889)
Wheat Field with Cypresses presents a view similar to Starry Night but in the daytime. This piece is so compositionally similar to Starry Night that it is no wonder it is one of the most famous Van Gogh paintings. It is a vivid and dynamic portrayal of the Provençal landscape near the asylum where he stayed in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.
The famous Van Gogh painting captures a golden wheat field under a swirling blue sky punctuated by tall, dark cypress trees and rolling hills. Van Gogh’s signature expressive brushstrokes give the scene a sense of movement as if the wind is sweeping through the wheat and the clouds are in constant motion. Cypress trees became a recurring subject in Van Gogh’s work during his later years. Van Gogh loved this piece and regarded it as one of his best summer landscapes. He even went on to make two other renditions of this famous Van Gogh painting, trying to replicate its success.
16. Saint-Paul Asylum, Saint-Rémy (1889)
Saint-Paul Asylum, Saint-Rémy is not one piece of work, but a collection of all of the pieces Van Gogh did while hospitalized. Many of the most famous Van Gogh paintings were made here, including many of the works on this list such as Starry Night, Irises and Wheat Field with Cypresses, among others such as Almond Blossom or his recreation of The Bedroom. Van Gogh’s work is known to express his emotions, so it would make sense that some famous Van Gogh paintings were made when he was experiencing his lowest emotions and most challenging state of mind. Van Gogh made about 150 paintings during his one year at Saint-Rémy.
17. Church at Auvers (1890)
Church at Auvers shows a scene reminiscent of Van Gogh’s childhood. During his final year, Van Gogh became nostalgic for his youth, as shown in many paintings, including Church at Auvers. Van Gogh recalled that this painting was similar to some of his earlier works, but it was more expressive, colorful and abstract. This painting is a bit somber, showing Van Gogh reminiscing on a bittersweet past shortly before he passed away. It is no wonder it is one of the most famous Van Gogh paintings.
Van Gogh made many famous paintings, and it becomes difficult to narrow it down to a concise list.He created over 900 paintings and even more drawings, and you could easily write an entire article about every single one. So how do you determine the most famous Van Gogh paintings? In this list, we have compiled some of the most recognizable Van Gogh paintings that show the best of his style, use of color and movement. These paintings are raw and show emotion, allowing the viewer to take a step into the life of Van Gogh.
Learning about these original Van Gogh paintings leaves one wondering what the masterpiece of Van Gogh is. Can you truely narrow it down to one famous Van Gogh painting? Is it Starry Night, due to its fame? Or should we analyze techniques more and determine which famous Van Gogh painting shows the most artistic skill? Or perhaps which painting is the most aesthetically pleasing? Which tells the best story? Must we analyze several famous Van Gogh paintings in order to understand the artist and determine which is “best”? It is largely up to the individual to decide what makes a masterpiece, but most would not argue that Van Gogh made many masterpieces throughout his career. His work is timeless and continues to serve as an inspiration to viewers today.
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