| Yellow House | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Artist | Vincent van Gogh |
| Year | 1888 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Location | Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam |
| Dimensions | 28.3 in × 36 in |
| 72 cm × 91.5 cm | |
| Vincent van Gogh Famous Paintings | |
| The Starry Night, 1889 | |
| Sunflowers, 1888 | |
| Starry Night Over the Rhone, 1888 | |
| Irises, 1889 | |
| The Potato Eaters, 1885 | |
| Yellow House, 1888 | |
| Café Terrace at Night, 1888 | |
| The Red Vineyard, 1888 | |
| Outskirts of Paris, 1887 |
The painting entitled Yellow House was painted by the iconic artist Vincent van Gogh in 1888. The yellow house was where Van Gogh stayed for a period of time while in Arles. The now infamous corner of Lamartine Place no longer exists, but it served as the inspiration for this painting.
The Yellow House
Van Gogh’s painting is yet another example of the artist being inspired by his surroundings. The four rooms in which he rented are immortalized by the bright green window shutters. The use of pale pink is used to portray the restaurant where Van Gogh ate on a regular basis. Train lines can be seen in the background to the right of the house and a few people are seen walking in front of his abode. The vibrant blue sky illuminates behind the yellow house, helping to bring the house to the forefront. There is also a noticeable addition of a unique perspective, which is said to be how the house was actually built.
Technique
The oil on canvas painting was completed in stages. Van Gogh created a type of blue print of the painting in pencil, adding details later. He utilized brown and black ink to fill in major details and to solidify the foundation. Lastly, he brought in the various hues of yellow, red, blue and green. Each tone was used to build upon another and to give the painting depth. The use of white sporadically throughout displays the clouds and builds tone amongst the flat colors. The popular stippling technique and quick brush strokes were used – a technique that was widely popular at the time by Neoimpressionist painters.
Vincent van Gogh’s search for sunlight and peace is visually portrayed in his painting of the Yellow House. The bright palette of colors and simple design of the painting add to the appeal. The Yellow House is a play on rest and sleep, using a corner of Arles, France as its backdrop.