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Primary sourcePainting1884–1886

Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette

Vincent van Gogh · 1884–1886

A small, satirical oil painting by Van Gogh of a skeleton smoking, likely poking fun at his conservative art academy in Antwerp.

A satirical early painting by Van Gogh, made as a student joke during his unhappy time at the Antwerp academy.

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Painting of a human skull and upper spine seen in profile against a dark background, with a lit cigarette between the teeth and a faint wisp of smoke rising to the right. Painted in loose, textured brushstrokes.
Vincent van Gogh, Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette, c. 1885–86. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

About this source

What it is

This small oil painting by Vincent van Gogh, probably made in the winter of 1885–86, shows a human skull and spine with a lit cigarette between its teeth. It is held at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and was long kept within Van Gogh's own family before being acquired by the Van Gogh Foundation.

Why it matters

Painted while Van Gogh studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, the work seems to mock the academy's traditional method of studying skeletons before live models, classes Van Gogh found dull. It can also be read as a vanitas, a reminder of death, at a time when Van Gogh's own health was poor. He himself was a heavy smoker, so the image is not simply anti-smoking.

Look closer

  • What makes this painting feel like a joke rather than a serious study?
  • Why might an art student paint something irreverent about his own training?
  • What does the smoke add to the meaning of the image?

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