SunflowersVincent van Gogh, 1888 London
About Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh painted for only about ten years, and most of the pictures people love today were made in the last two and a half years of his life, in the south of France. He sold very few paintings while he was alive and was supported by his brother Theo, an art dealer, to whom he wrote hundreds of letters that explain how and why he painted.
His path is easy to follow through his work: the dark peasant scenes of the Netherlands (The Potato Eaters), the bright color he discovered in Paris, the sunflowers, café and bedroom of Arles in 1888, the asylum garden and night sky of Saint-Rémy in 1889 (Irises, The Starry Night), and finally Auvers-sur-Oise, where he died in July 1890.
Today his work is spread across the world, but the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo hold the two largest collections.
Where to see Vincent van Gogh's famous paintings
| Painting | Date | Where |
|---|---|---|
| The Potato Eaters | 1885 | Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam |
| Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat | 1887 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
| Café Terrace at Night | 1888 | Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo |
| The Night Café | 1888 | Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut |
| The Bedroom | 1888 | Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam |
| Sunflowers | 1888 | The National Gallery, London |
| Starry Night Over the Rhône | 1888 | Musée d'Orsay, Paris |
| The Starry Night | 1889 | Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York |
| Wheat Field with Cypresses | 1889 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
| Irises | 1889 | J. Paul Getty Museum (Getty Center), Los Angeles |
| Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear | 1889 | The Courtauld Gallery, London |
| Cypresses | 1889 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
| Almond Blossom | 1890 | Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam |
| Wheatfield with Crows | 1890 | Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam |
How big are they?
The paintings drawn to scale next to a person 1.7 m tall.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most famous paintings by Vincent van Gogh?
The Potato Eaters, Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat, Café Terrace at Night, The Night Café, The Bedroom, Sunflowers.
Where can I see paintings by Vincent van Gogh?
The Potato Eaters at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam; Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; Café Terrace at Night at the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo; The Night Café at the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut; The Bedroom at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam; Sunflowers at The National Gallery in London; Starry Night Over the Rhône at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris; The Starry Night at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York; Wheat Field with Cypresses at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; Irises at the J. Paul Getty Museum (Getty Center) in Los Angeles; Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear at The Courtauld Gallery in London; Cypresses at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; Almond Blossom at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam; Wheatfield with Crows at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
When did Vincent van Gogh live?
Vincent van Gogh was born in 1853 and died in 1890.
Sources: Wikidata Q5582. Checked October 17, 2026. How we check.