A Guide to Van Gogh at The Met

Van Gogh at The Met

Considering his monumental place in art history, a world in which Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890) didn’t become an artist is practically unimaginable. But it wasn’t until the age of 27—after initial endeavors as an art dealer and a clergyman—that Van Gogh set his sights on his own artistic path.

“Shoes.” Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 18 x 21 3/4 in., 1888. Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 1992 1992.374

 

Over the next 10 years, Van Gogh produced nearly 900 paintings and over 1,100 works on paper, many of which are treasures of The Met collection today. Among The Met Store’s longest-standing and best-selling products are Van Gogh giftsjewelry, coasters, puzzles, stationery, mugs, and more—honoring the extraordinary ways that the artist interpreted his subjects.

Van Gogh Lambswool Sweater

Van Gogh Irises Women's Lambswool Sweater

 

Such as the Van Gogh Irises Women's Lambswool Sweater, which belongs to our new collection of women’s sweaters crafted from 100% lambswool. The striking motif on the front and back of our lambswool sweater, adapted from a beloved Van Gogh painting in the Museum’s holdings, exemplifies how The Met Store reimagines Van Gogh paintings as wearable and shareable works of art.

Left: Van Gogh Irises Women's Lambswool Sweater. Right: “Irises” (detail). Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 29 x 36 1/4 in., 1890. Gift of Adele R. Levy, 1958 58.187

Van Gogh Glass Coasters

Other Met Store products feature details taken directly from Van Gogh paintings in the Museum. Our Van Gogh Paintings Glass Coasters zoom in on four Van Gogh paintings at The Met: Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat (1887), Wheat Field with Cypresses (1889), Roses (1890), and Irises (1890).

Van Gogh Paintings Glass Coasters

Van Gogh and the Museum

Though his mature paintings—such as those featured in our Van Gogh coasters—are awash in vibrant hues, Van Gogh felt it essential as a budding artist to master well-proportioned drawings before experimenting with color. He largely trained himself by studying 19th-century drawing manuals, copying prints, and vehemently sketching his surroundings.

“Road in Etten.” Vincent van Gogh. Chalk, pencil, pastel, watercolor. Underdrawing in pen and brown ink; 15 1/2 x 22 3/4 in.; 1881. Robert Lehman Collection, 1975 1975.1.774

 

Van Gogh was also strongly influenced by rural French life as portrayed by Jean-François Millet, a leading figure of the Barbizon School. Van Gogh subsequently painted over 40 studies of peasants, including the Museum’s The Potato Peeler (1885). Two years later, he would paint the comparatively exuberant Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat (1887) on the reverse side of the canvas. This iconic self-portrait is one of the highlights of Van Gogh’s Met paintings.

“Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat.” Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 16 x 12 1/2 in., 1887. Bequest of Miss Adelaide Milton de Groot (1876-1967), 1967 67.187.70a

 

Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat was evidently influenced by the atmospheric Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist works that Van Gogh saw while he stayed, from 1886 to 1888, with his brother Theo in Paris. Lacking the funds for a model, Van Gogh honed his figure-painting skills by way of over 20 self-portraits. Each example reflects his evolving experimentation with color and brushwork.

In February 1888, Van Gogh left Paris for Arles in the South of France. In less than a month, he created 14 paintings of orchards that capture his fascination with the landscape in springtime.

“The Flowering Orchard.” Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 28 1/2 x 21 in., 1888. The Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ittleson Jr. Purchase Fund, 1956 56.13

 

The people of Arles likewise proved inspirational to Van Gogh. Among his many paintings of the family members of the postmaster Joseph Roulin are five portraits of Madame Augustine-Alix Pellicot Roulin, whom Van Gogh depicted as a Madonna-like figure. 

Van Gogh’s Met painting La Berceuse (1889), which means "lullaby, or woman who rocks the cradle," portrays Madame Roulin in a jewel-toned room holding a rope attached to an unseen cradle. He envisioned her portrait as the central panel of a triptych, flanked by paintings of sunflowers. Van Gogh’s decision to employ a rich color palette came from his desire to “sing a lullaby with color.” He began these portraits just before his breakdown in December 1888, and completed them in early 1889.

“La Berceuse.” Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 36 1/2 x 29 in., 1889. The Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Collection, Gift of Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg, 1996, Bequest of Walter H. Annenberg,

 

Unrelenting complications with his mental health prompted Van Gogh to voluntarily admit himself to the psychiatric hospital of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, located in the Romanesque monastery of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole. This painting’s colorful palette belies the artist’s struggles. Despite the picturesque wheat fields, olive groves, cypresses, and flowers in and around the monastery, the asylum did not afford the cure the artist had hoped for, and he died shortly thereafter. 

“Corridor in the Asylum.” Vincent van Gogh. Oil color and essence over black chalk on pink laid ("Ingres") paper, 25 5/8 x 19 5/16 in., 1889. Bequest of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, 1948 48.190.2

 

By the time of his death in 1890, Van Gogh’s work was attracting attention from critics and fellow artists. Today, his inimitable creative genius is celebrated the world over.

Where Is Van Gogh at The Met?

In addition to Van Gogh’s many works on paper in The Met’s Drawings and Prints collection, which can only be exhibited for short periods of time under carefully controlled conditions due to their fragile nature, visitors to the Museum can see Van Gogh’s on-view paintings in Gallery 822 and Gallery 825 at The Met Fifth Avenue. Below, learn more about the Van Gogh paintings at the Museum and the Met Store products they’ve inspired.

"Sunflowers" (1887)

Sunflowers (1887) is one of four still lifes the artist painted featuring these eye-catching yellow blooms in Paris during the late summer of 1887. Van Gogh’s friend and contemporary Paul Gauguin once owned two of the smaller sunflower studies, displaying them above his bed before selling them in the mid-1890s to finance his trip to the South Seas. 

“Sunflowers.” Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 17 x 24 in., 1887. Rogers Fund, 1949 49.41

 

The Van Gogh Sunflowers Jewelry reimagines these cheerful flowers in full bloom. 

Van Gogh Sunflowers Brooch, Drop Earrings, and Pendant Necklace

"Oleanders" (1888)

This radiant painting portrays an arrangement of oleanders, which Van Gogh considered life-affirming flowers for the way they bloom "inexhaustibly." Here, they’re symbolically presented in a majolica jug next to a copy of Emile Zola's novel La joie de vivre

“Oleanders.” Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 23 3/4 x 29 in., 1888. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Loeb, 1962 62.24

 

Fun for the whole family, this double-sided Van Gogh puzzle is a wonderful way to get up close and personal with the astounding details of Oleanders. Van Gogh’s Irises (1890) is featured on the reverse side of the puzzle. Read more about The Met Store’s collection of art-inspired puzzles here

Van Gogh: Bouquets Double-Sided Puzzle

"Wheat Field with Cypresses" (1889)

Van Gogh became captivated by cypresses during his convalescence at the asylum in Saint-Rémy. Wheat Field with Cypresses (1889), a highlight of The Met collection, is among Van Gogh’s exuberant compositions featuring the towering trees. The ordinarily self-critical artist regarded this painting as one of his "best" summer landscapes.

“Wheat Field with Cypresses.” Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 28 7/8 x 36 3/4 in., 1889. Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 1993 1993.132

 

Van Gogh’s preoccupation with this particular subject was illustrated in The Met’s exhibition Van Gogh’s Cypresses, held at The Met Fifth Avenue in 2023. Relive the celebrated showcase with this richly illustrated exhibition catalogue. In addition to insightful essays about the artist, the visual and literary heritage of Van Gogh’s cypresses is featured in a compilation of images and excerpts from 19th-century poetry, novels, and travel writing—many translated into English for the first time.

"Van Gogh's Cypresses"

 

Get cozy in our Van Gogh Wheat Field with Cypresses Hoodie, or give your look an artful kick with our Van Gogh Wheat Field with Cypresses Men’s Socks.

Van Gogh Wheat Field with Cypresses Hoodie

 

The Van Gogh mug and tea towel set makes a great host or hostess gift; while the light, silk-twill construction of our billowing oversize scarf perfectly suits the easy, breezy scene. Read more about The Met’s exhibition here, and shop our full range of products inspired by this Van Gogh highlight.

Van Gogh Wheat Field with Cypresses Oversize Oblong Silk Scarf

"Olive Trees" (1889)

This is one of five pictures of olive orchards that Van Gogh made in November 1889, painted directly from nature. “What I've done is a rather harsh and coarse realism beside their abstractions,” he described, “but it will nevertheless impart a rustic note, and will smell of the soil.” 

“Olive Trees.” Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 28 5/8 x 36 1/4 in., 1889. The Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Collection, Gift of Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg, 1998, Bequest of Walter H. Annenberg, 2002 1998.325.1

 

Olive Trees features on one side of our Van Gogh Stylized Nature Double-Sided Square Silk Scarf. The painting’s earthy hues and energetic brushwork will complement—and elevate—any look. Learn more about many ways you can style your Met scarf here.

Van Gogh Stylized Nature Double-Sided Square Silk Scarf

"Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase" (1890)

On the other side of the Van Gogh Stylized Nature Double-Sided Square Silk Scarf is the comparatively dusky Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase

Van Gogh Stylized Nature Double-Sided Square Silk Scarf

 

This still life is not mentioned in Van Gogh’s letters and has puzzled scholars as to its place in his artistic production. Though it shares stylistic similarities with some of his earlier compositions—the quasi-abstract floral wallpaper design in The Met’s La Berceuse (1889) and Irises (1890), this painting’s moody palette and graphic brushwork link it firmly with the late-life landscapes Van Gogh made preceding his death in July 1890.

“Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase.” Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 25 5/8 x 21 1/4 in., 1890. The Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Collection, Gift of Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg, 1993, Bequest of Walter H. Annenberg, 2002 1993.400.4

"Irises" (1890)

Just before his departure from the asylum in Saint-Rémy in May 1890, Van Gogh created four radiant spring bouquets, including the exuberant Irises (1890). Van Gogh sought to achieve a "harmonious and soft" effect by placing the "violet" flowers against a "pink background," but owing to his use of fugitive red pigments, these colors have since faded.

“Irises.” Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 29 x 36 1/4 in., 1890. Gift of Adele R. Levy, 1958 58.187

 

Irises has long been one of the most popular Van Gogh motifs at The Met Store. Best sellers include this Van Gogh mug, complete with a tea infuser and lid to keep your beverage warm; the Van Gogh Irises Oblong Silk Scarf, a 100% cotton apron with an adjustable neck strap, and our folding umbrella

Van Gogh Irises Oblong Silk Scarf

 

You can even exhibit your very own Van Gogh Irises print in your home or office with Met Custom Prints. Learn more about the process of customizing your very own Met Custom Print here.

A framed, extra-large Van Gogh Irises canvas print

 

From artful gifts to mementos of your visit to The Met—even a bag to tote it all around in—shop the full Van Gogh Irises collection.

Van Gogh Irises Tote

"Roses" (1890)

This lush bouquet of roses belongs to the same spring quartet that Van Gogh created in 1890. Though the color has softened, traces of pink nestled in the blooms and along the tabletop hint at the vividness of the artist's "canvas of pink roses against a yellow-green background in a green vase" in its original state.

“Roses.” Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 36 5/8 x 29 1/8 in., 1890. The Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Collection, Gift of Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg, 1993, Bequest of Walter H. Annenberg, 2002 1993.400.5

 

Let our Van Gogh Roses Journal inspire your next sketch, poem, or bright idea—you can even write it down with the Van Gogh Roses Ballpoint Pen.

Van Gogh Roses Journal

 

Shop our full collection of jewelry, accessories, apparel, stationery, and home decor inspired by Van Gogh paintings at The Met in-store and online.

Related Products

Questions

  • Which Van Gogh masterpieces can I see at The Metropolitan Museum of Art?

    The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York houses a remarkable permanent collection of Vincent van Gogh's works. Visitors can enjoy 16 paintings spanning various periods of the artist's career. Highlights include the vibrant Wheat Field with Cypresses (1889), the emotionally charged Shoes (1888), and the colorful Irises (1890). The collection also features Van Gogh's Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat (1887), showcasing his experimentation with Neo-Impressionist techniques.
  • When is the best time to see Van Gogh's paintings at The Met?

    The Met's Van Gogh paintings from the permanent collection are on view in the Museum’s European Paintings galleries. This presents the opportunity for visitors to experience the full range of Van Gogh's artistic evolution in one visit. The paintings showcase various styles and subjects, from portraits to still lifes and landscapes, allowing art enthusiasts to trace the development of Van Gogh's distinctive technique. To make the most of your visit, consider arriving early in the day to avoid crowds, and take your time exploring these masterpieces.
  • Which Van Gogh–inspired items can I purchase from The Met Store based on the Museum's permanent collection?

    The Met Store offers an extensive range of Vincent van Gogh–inspired merchandise, drawing inspiration from the Museum's permanent collection. Find artful gifts like a Van Gogh scarf or Van Gogh journal for the art lover in your life, or for yourself! Art enthusiasts will love items such as the recently added Van Gogh Irises Women's Lambswool Sweater, featuring a design based on the Irises painting from 1890. Other popular items include the Van Gogh Wheat Field with Cypresses Hoodie, inspired by the iconic landscape in The Met's collection. Consider the Van Gogh Sunflower Brooch or the Van Gogh Irises Neckerchief for art-inspired accessories. The Met Store also offers artful home decor items, custom prints, and stationery featuring reproductions of Van Gogh's masterpieces from The Met's permanent collection, allowing you to bring a piece of art history into your everyday life.