Farms near Auvers
- Artist: Vincent van Gogh
- Date: 1890
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is "Farms near Auvers" painted by Vincent van Gogh. It's a wonderful example of his work from the final months of his life, just before he passed away in 1890. You can see how he loved to capture the simplicity and character of rural landscapes, like these old farm buildings near his home at Auvers.
Notice the mossy thatched roofs - they were a favorite subject for him. And look at the fields behind, the way their shapes mirror the forms of the buildings. It's almost as if the landscape itself is repeating the pattern of the architecture. The brushwork here is very expressive and loose, which suggests that this painting might not have been finished.
In fact, we know it was painted just a month before Van Gogh's death, so there may be some connection between his state of mind at that time and the unfinished quality of the work. But even though it's left incomplete, "Farms near Auvers" remains a beautiful tribute to Van Gogh's unique vision and love for nature.
See it in person
Farms near Auvers hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
