The First and Last Paintings of Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) was an influential Dutch painter of the Post-Impressionism period at the end of the 19th century. His first experience with painting was in 1881. With his determination to be an artist, in just less than 10 years, he created approximately 900 paintings and sketches.

Art historians believe the first painting of Vincent van Gogh is Still Life with Cabbage and Clogs, created some time during November-December 1881. In this painting we can see Van Gogh experimenting with still life painting. The cabbage, potatoes and clogs are settled on the table with green cloth. The composition of all the elements are perfect for the artist to practice his artistic skill of creating volume, surface light and shadow. Van Gogh painted this painting in Dutch style, using earth tones or dark brown color that created gloomy and dim shadows to the overall atmosphere.

The painting, often claimed to be the very last painting of Van Gogh, is Wheatfield with Crows painted in the early of July 1890. The menacing sky, the crows and the dead-end path seemed to refer to the end of his life approaching. The three paths in the painting expressed Van Gogh’s feeling that he had nowhere to go, no way of escape. The whole mood of darkness is reinforced by the stormy sky and a flock of black crows. It was believed to be the artist’s final painting before he committed suicide.