How Well Do You Know Van Gogh?

It’s easy to think you know Vincent Van Gogh when you’ve seen the same few paintings over and over again. But his career is actually full of surprises. Some canvases are rarely discussed, while others have become symbols of art itself. Here’s a look at both the forgotten and the unforgettable. To begin with, let's take a look at some of Van Gogh's often overlooked masterpieces that truly deserve a lot more recognition than they get.

Petr Kratochvil on Wikimedia

1. Autumn Landscape (1885)

Before Van Gogh became the master of swirling yellows and electric blues, he deliberately chose darkness. This haunting landscape from his final, troubled days in Neuen, Netherlands, represents an entirely different artist—one who rejected vibrant colors for blacks, grays, and browns. 

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

2. View Of Roofs And Backs Of Houses (1886)

The Dutch creator painted this view from his Montmartre apartment window while living with his brother Theo. Though exposed to Impressionist influences in Paris, he still used subdued browns and grays. This oil on canvas creation measures 30.0 by 41.0 cm.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

3. Vase With Red & White Carnations (1886)

Financial struggles forced Gogh’s practical approach to subject matter during his time in Paris. When he couldn't afford suitable models, he turned to still life painting. Earthy tones predominate this work, with red carnations offering the first hint of his coming color shift.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

4. The Harvest At La Crau (1888)

The Harvest at La Crau is a celebrated piece created in June 1888 during the icon’s stay in Arles, France. This one is part of van Gogh's series themed around the seasons and agricultural landscapes. The composition includes elements like haystacks and farm buildings.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

5. The Courtyard Of The Hospital At Arles (1889)

Mental breakdown couldn't silence Gogh's artistic voice. After cutting off his ear following a devastating quarrel with Paul Gauguin in December 1888, he found himself institutionalized yet still creating. Hospital doctors mercifully allowed him to paint in and around the facility during recovery.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

6. View Of Arles With Irises (1888)

Southern France changed everything for this man after he fled Paris, seeking rural beauty. The artwork marks his official shift from gloomy earth tones to sunnier hues that practically radiate off the canvas. These colors capture actual sunshine from the day it was painted.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

7. The Garden Of Saint-Paul Hospital (1889)

Gogh’s year-long stay at the private asylum in Saint-Remy became quite productive. Doctors believed outdoor painting sessions would be therapeutic for his mental health. While painting, he used a high viewpoint composition to cut off the trunks of the trees on the canvas.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

8. First Steps (1890)

Jean-François Millet's 1858 original provided the foundation, but the artist’s interpretation completely changes it. During mental relapses at Saint Paul asylum, when he couldn't venture outside for original works, he turned to recreating masterpieces. This reproduction mirrors his spin on classical compositions.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

9. Undergrowth With Two Figures (1890)

Van Gogh's final months unfolded in Auvers-sur-Oise under Dr. Paul Gachet's compassionate care. Located just thirty minutes outside Paris, the picturesque setting inspired his last series of rural settings before his demise. The trunks of violet-hued poplars stand perpendicularly like columns.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

10. The Mulberry Tree (1889)

Autumn in the Saint-Paul asylum courtyard revealed an unexpected muse. Gogh got utterly fascinated by this single tree's gnarled branches and golden leaves. His sculptural brushstrokes crafted three-dimensional textures that made the twisted branches seem to reach beyond the canvas itself.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

Now for the paintings everyone knows by heart.

1. The Starry Night (1889)

Eleven swirling stars and a bright crescent moon dance across this beauty. Despite becoming his most famous work, Van Gogh was actually dissatisfied with the painting and rarely mentioned it in letters or conversations. He created it by combining direct observation with memory.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

2. Sunflowers (1888)

Paul Gauguin's planned visit to the Yellow House sparked Van Gogh’s obsession with decorating his friend's room perfectly. He painted multiple versions of sunflowers in vases specifically for this purpose, using chrome yellow extensively—a common pigment in the late 19th century. 

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

3. Irises (1889)

This individual’s first week at Saint-Paul asylum produced what he considered merely a "study" rather than a finished painting. Time itself became an artist here. That’s because the original purple hues turned to blue as red pigment faded over the decades. 

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

4. Portrait Of Dr. Gachet (1890)

"Sicker than I am," Vincent declared about his final physician, Dr. Gachet, just weeks before his own death. This haunting portrait inculcates the melancholy both men shared during those final days in Auvers-sur-Oise. It sold for $82.5 million.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

5. Self-Portrait With Bandaged Ear (1889)

A winter coat and fur cap indoors tell the story of a man confronting his darkest moment. Van Gogh painted this raw self-examination after cutting off part of his left ear. The Japanese print hanging in the background reveals his enduring love of Eastern art.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

6. Café Terrace At Night (1888)

Candles attached to his hat and easel illuminated Gogh’s revolutionary nighttime painting session outdoors. This groundbreaking work was his first creation to feature the signature starry night sky that would define his legacy. The yellow café still exists in Arles today.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

7. Wheatfield With Crows (1890)

Ominous crows flying toward the viewer give rise to an unsettled, foreboding atmosphere in this powerful scenery. Often mistakenly thought to be Van Gogh’s final painting, it was actually painted during his last few weeks in Auvers-sur-Oise alongside Dr. Gachet.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

8. The Yellow House (1888)

The Yellow House depicts the right wing of 2 Place Lamartine in Arles, France, where the artist had rented four rooms starting May 1, 1888. It captures the vibrant yellow facade of the house in sunlight, with contrasting green shutters.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

9. Self-Portrait (1889)

Intense blue and green swirls became his signature style in this iconic self-portrait done during a period of psychosis at Saint-Paul asylum. The distinctive swirling background technique represents his psychological state. By the way, this work ranks among the star’s most reproduced self-portraits.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia

10. The Red Vineyard (1888)

Anna Boch, sister of Gogh's friend Eugène Boch, made history by purchasing this painting. Apparently, it is the only work he is certain to have sold for money during his lifetime. The grape harvest scene from Arles features a warm color temperature.

Vincent van Gogh on Wikimedia