The Bedroom. Second version

The room was in the Yellow House in Arles, but Van Gogh painted this version in Saint-Rémy in September 1889. He returned to a composition from the previous year, associating its simple forms and colours with rest.

A dark contour outlines the bed. Its yellow-orange frame, red blanket and pale pillow form broad areas of colour. Limited shading leaves each object clearly defined.

Brushstrokes follow the floorboards towards the far wall. Their direction conveys depth. Close up, individual marks describe both the floor’s surface and its receding lines.

A jug and washing basin stand on the little table. The room contains simple objects for daily use. Their rounded shapes differ from the rectangular bed, chairs and picture frames.

Picture frames tilt and furniture edges meet at different angles. The perspective is not geometrically regular. Van Gogh permits these adjustments within his arrangement of outlines and coloured planes.

One chair stands close to us and another against the back wall. They resemble one another but differ in size and angle. This repetition establishes depth despite the uneven convergence of floor and furniture lines.

Green shapes and dark lines fill the window. There is no detailed view beyond it. Van Gogh preserves it primarily as a coloured form among blue walls and yellow furniture.

Post-Impressionism groups together different developments after Impressionism. Here Van Gogh emphasises strong contours and broad planes of colour. They express his conception of the room with reduced modelling through light and shade.