Van Gogh's reputation is based on pictures painted in the last four years of his life, for his arrival in Paris in 1886 brought a complete change in his style. The bright paintings of the Impressionists and the bold designs of Japanese prints inspired him to abandon his dark pictures of peasant life and instead paint colourful canvases of his closest friends and his surroundings.

Pere Tanguy is among the first in a series of close-up portraits of his friends which he continued after moving to Arles, where he painted the Postman Roulin. In the brilliant southern sunshine his colours became still brighter, with yellow predominating as it does in Bedroom at Arles and Sunflowers.

Within months of painting these hopeful pictures, Van Gogh suffered a mental collapse. Cornfield and Cypresses, and Starry Night were among the 200 canvases he painted while he was in St Remy asylum, and the troubled Church at Auvers and his late Self Portrait both seem to presage his tragic suicide.

Writer – Marshall Cavendish 

Painting Gallery  of Vincent Van Gogh

The Postman Joseph Roulin was one of Vincent's few friends in Arles; he posed for him several times. In this portrait, the postman sits alertly, with raised eyebrows and a direct gaze. The painting has a humorous quality, accentuated by Roulin's full, fish-tail beard.

Van Gogh made several portraits of Pere Tanguy, who ran an art supplies shop in Paris where penniless artists could meet and exchange their works for paint and canvases. The pictures lining the walls behind the old man are Vincent's own copies of Japanese prints.












This famous painting shows the bed Mom in Van Gogh's house at Arles, which he had decorated and furnished himself. To express 'a feeling of perfect rest', he showed his room in an uncharacteristically tidy state, containing only a few objects, which he painted in pure colours with strongly-drawn outlines. However, there is something unsettling about the painting: the lines of the floor and bed seem to rush back in a disturbing way. This is one of three virtually identical versions of the painting an indication of the importance Van Gogh attached to his mom.


After his admission to St Remy mental asylum, Vincent was allowed out to paint under supervision. He was fascinated by the cypress trees in the south of France, and painted them many times, often emphasising their writhing, flame-like shapes.









Vincent moved to Auvers in northern France after he left. the St Wary asylum. This picture of the village church with its strange perspective, twisted shapes, and harsh, Paris colour was painted the month before he committed suicide.













Probably Van Gogh's best-known painting; this picture is made up almost entirely of yellow, Vincent's favourite colour. It had to be painted very quickly before the flowers dropped, but in fact there are nearly as many seedheads as there are blooms.












In one of his last self-portraits, Vincent shows himself tense and tired after, a series of breakdowns. His jacket merges with the pale swirling background, while his red beard stands out strongly.