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Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette

Vincent van GoghJanuary 1886 - February 1886

Van Gogh Museum

Van Gogh Museum
Amsterdam, Netherlands

This skeleton with a lit cigarette in its mouth is a juvenile joke. Van Gogh painted it in early 1886, while studying at the art academy in Antwerp. The painting shows that he had a good command of anatomy. Drawing skeletons was a standard exercise at the academy, but painting them was not part of the curriculum. He must have made this painting at some other time, in between or after his lessons.

Details

  • Title: Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette
  • Creator: Vincent van Gogh
  • Creator Lifespan: 30 March 1853 - 29 July 1890
  • Creator Nationality: Dutch
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Auvers-sur-Oise
  • Creator Birth Place: Zundert
  • Date Created: January 1886 - February 1886
  • Location Created: Antwerp, Belgium
  • Place Part Of: Belgium
  • Type: Painting
  • Rights: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation), Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
  • External Link: Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette

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