Early Paintings by Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh painted Young Girl in a Wood in 1882. The painting gives early indications of van Gogh’s gift for color.

While living in The Hague, van Gogh sought informal instruction with painter Anton Mauve, who worked with him on drawing and color theory. As his confidence grew, van Gogh loosened his stroke and adopted a more daring approach to color, as seen in the warm palette of this woodland scene. He explained his development as intuitive, writing to his brother Theo, "I know for sure that I have an instinct for color."

With its color contrast and wide perspective, Flower Beds in Holland is an important early van Gogh piece. Learn about it in the next section.

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