OIL PAINTING: The Yellow House, 1888
In May 1888, Van Gogh rented four rooms on the right-hand side of a house on the Place Lamartine in Arles- The Yellow House. His living quarters were the ones with the green shutters. His bedroom lay beyond. Van Gogh had finally found a place where he could not only paint but also welcome his friends. His goal was to establish a 'Studio of the South', where he and like-minded artists could work together.
The view is also an exploration of color contrast: 'What a powerful sight, those yellow houses in the sun and then the unforgettable clarity of the blue [sky],' he wrote to Theo in the letter that accompanied a drawing he had made after the painting of The Yellow House.