What was Van Gogh’s Final Painting?
The last painting Van Gogh created is believed to be “Wheatfield with Crows,” but some scholars argue that it may actually be “Auvers Town Hall”. The interest surrounding Vincent Van Gogh’s life and death has never ceased to intrigue art enthusiasts and curious people alike. Because of the circumstances surrounding his death, people often wonder what his final painting was.
Van Gogh’s Final Painting
Van Gogh passed away on July 29, 1890, at the age of 37. While the circumstances surrounding his death have been speculated about in the past, it’s widely believed that he went out to the wheatfield to paint “Wheatfield with Crows” and that after completing it, he passed away two days later, leading many to believe it was his last painting.
Van Gogh actually created a series of paintings of these wheatfields that included 12 paintings of the subject in different conditions.
“Wheatfield with Crows” was painted in July 1890 in the final weeks of his life and is often associated with his death due to the turbulent skies and striking artworks of the painting. It was painted after Van Gogh returned to Paris to stay with his brother Theo, who was ill, his wife Jo, and their sick baby.
In his letters, he wrote of the painting: “Returning there, I set to work. The brush almost fell from my hands…I had no difficulty in expressing sadness and extreme solitude.”
However, research has suggested that not only is it not his final painting, but it might not even be his second-to-last painting. His letter suggests that “Wheatfield with Crows” was completed around July 10, with “Auvers Town Hall” being painted on July 14, and what is most certainly his final painting, “Tree Roots,” believed to have been painted on July 27.
During the last month of his life, Vincent said in a letter to his brother Theo, “My life, too, is attacked at the very root.”
It is believed that this painting, showing tangled, gnarled roots, perfectly reflects Van Gogh’s struggles not only in his final days but also the struggles that he faced throughout his life.
Learn more about Van Gogh’s life here.
While we may never know with 100% certainty, we do know that Van Gogh created over 800 paintings in his short time as an artist. Paintings that still widely impact people to this day.
Learn more about Beyond Van Gogh, the immersive experience here.
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