The Bedroom (Van Gogh's Bedroom in Arles)
Painting on canvas • Vincent van Gogh
Style & Movement
Post-Impressionist
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, utilizing impasto technique with bold, rhythmic brushstrokes and thick application of paint
Creation Period
September 1889
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 73.6 x 92.3 cm (29 x 36.3 in); Landscape format
Subject Description
A representation of Van Gogh's bedroom at the Yellow House in Arles. The room features a prominent wooden bed on the right, two chairs, a small table with washing utensils, and five various artworks on the walls. The composition uses exaggerated perspective and vibrant, though somewhat muted in this version, colors to express a sense of repose and domesticity.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent/Very Good; the painting has been professionally conserved by the Art Institute of Chicago
Estimated Market Value
In excess of $150,000,000 (estimation strictly for insurance/theoretical purposes as it is museum-owned)
Auction Estimate
Priceless / Market benchmark exceeded ($100 million+)
Provenance History
Acquired by the artist's brother Theo van Gogh; inherited by Johanna van Gogh-Bonger; Helen Birch Bartlett Memorial Collection; donated to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1926
Art Historical Significance
One of the most iconic images in Western art history. This is the second of three versions, painted while the artist was at the asylum in Saint-Rémy. It reflects his longing for the 'Studio of the South' and is a masterclass in using color and distorted perspective to convey psychological depth.
Notable Features
Distinctive portraits on the right wall include a self-portrait and a portrait of the artist's friend, the soldier Milliet. The heavy impasto creates a sculptural quality to the bed frame and floorboards.
Condition Issues
Historical concerns included color fading (particularly the purple walls which were originally a brighter violet) and microscopic cracking (craquelure) typical of aged oil on canvas.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain strictly controlled humidity (45-55%) and temperature; low-UV lighting; protective glazing for high-traffic museum display.