The Yellow House is one of Vincent van Gogh’s most famous paintings, created in 1888 during his time in Arles, France. The house depicted in the painting was Van Gogh’s residence, where he dreamed of creating an artists’ community.
In 1888, Vincent Van Gogh moved to Arles, a small town in the south of France, where he rented a four-room house that would become known as the Yellow House.
The Yellow House is unfortunately no longer to be found in Arles. In 1888, Vincent rented two rooms on the ground floor of number 2 Place Lamartine (his kitchen and studio) and another two smaller rooms on the first floor (his bedroom and guest bedroom).
Artist Paul Signac, a friend of Vincent's, created a variation on "The Yellow House" theme in his 1932 watercolor, "The House of Van Gogh." Although it is more colorful and lively than the original, it retains the perspective and architectural features of the residence in Arles.
Because of the buttery yellow exterior color of the building, Van Gogh called it, the Yellow House. In 1888, when he painted a portrait of the home he used a palette of yellow and blue, his signature colors of the time, but intensified the colors against a bright blue sky.
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.
Yellow House by Vincent van Gogh - Facts & History of the Painting