Created when Van Gogh was living in Arles in what was to become known as the Yellow House, this painting of a local vineyard is heavily influenced by Paul Gauguin. Van Gogh had long harboured dreams of starting an artists’ colony and yearned to share his studio. He was thrilled when Gauguin, whom he had met some two years earlier, came to stay with him in October 1888. Gauguin was older and more strongly opinionated than Van Gogh, and had a significant influence on Vincent’s style as they worked together. However, Gauguin’s stay ended disastrously when Van Gogh self-mutilated his left ear.
Enchanted by autumnal reds and yellows and reflections of glistening evening sunlight in the river, Van Gogh painted this work from memory after an evening stroll. He disregarded the established laws of contrasting colour theory, forging a style all his own.
His unorthodox approach was generally unaccepted by the wider artistic community at the time but would pave the way for generations of artists to come. This painting, which Van Gogh considered unusually pleasing, was one of the very few he sold in his lifetime – to Anna Boch for 400 francs.