Why Did Van Gogh Use So Much in Yellow in His Paintings?

To celebrate Yellow Day, we take a look at some of the top theories behind Van Gogh's obsession with the color

A color that's associated with positive feelings like happiness, optimism, hope, and creativity, yellow is often an inspirational color for creatives. One especially famous example is the iconic Dutch painter, Vincent van Gogh, whose name conjures up images of vibrant sunflowers and golden fields. But what was it that drew him to this sunny shade?

To mark Yellow Day (also known as "the happiest day of the year"), we take a look at some of Van Gogh's iconic yellow artworks and explore some of top theories behind the artist's use of the color. But first, here's a quick introduction to Yellow Day...

What is Yellow Day?

Every year on June 20, social media feeds fill up with photographs labeled with the hashtag #YellowDay—a day that since 2005 has been dubbed "the happiest day of the year", based on a formula by British psychologist Cliff Arnall (also behind Blue Monday).

The equation, "O + (N xS) + Cpm/T + He", is broken down into the following elements: "O" stands for more time outdoors, "N" for bonding with nature, "S" for socializing, "Cpm" for positive childhood memories, "T" for warm temperatures, and "He" for vacations.

So, what's the correlation between dates and colors, and why yellow? In this case, the choice of color is mainly associated with the summer solstice taking place in the Northern hemisphere. As a result, days become longer, and with more daylight hours, moods are positively influenced. Yellow was chosen as the most representative color, since it symbolizes joy around the world.

But long before the arrival of Yellow Day, creatives and painters have been drawn in by the color—as was the case for Van Gogh.

Read on to learn more about the artist's use of yellow, while taking a visual tour through some of his most iconic works...

Van Gogh's "yellow period"

Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) began painting at the age of thirty-two and, making up for any lost time, created as many as two or three paintings a day. While today he is considered one of the greatest exponents of post-Impressionism, he received less recognition for his work during his lifetime.

His struggles with mental health and solitary genius persona are a constant in his biography, both of which have been linked to his unique style, full of dramatic brushstrokes and intense colors.

However, in all of his work, however, one color stands out above the rest: yellow. This trend is particularly notable in work created during what would later be dubbed as his "yellow period" (around 1886-1890).

Over the years, there has been much speculation about Van Gogh's yellow obsession. So much so, that it was even suggested he ate yellow paint to help raise his spirits. However, there is no hard evidence to prove this theory. In fact, according to the Van Gogh Museum, it's probably quite the opposite—it's believed the artist tried to poison himself by eating paint.

Let's take a look at some of the theories behind Van Gogh's "yellow period"...

1. Was Van Gogh inspired by a love of sunlight?

In 1888, Van Gogh moved from Paris to stay in the sunny city of Arles, in the Provence region of France. He fell in love with the light of the region—the impact of which could be seen in his work.

While his earlier Dutch paintings featured a much muddier color palette, in little more than a year, he painted about 300 artworks with yellow as the main color—even in nocturnal compositions. In letters to his brother, Theo, Van Gogh wrote about the yellow of sunshine, and "how beautiful yellow is!"; he also confessed that he felt helpless at not being able to capture the full force of the light of Arles.

In an essay by Paul Gauguin, written during a visit to Van Gogh in 1888, he notes: “The yellow-chrome Sun burst forth from the canvas, flooding houses and flowers. Oh yes, the good Vincent, that Dutch painter, a fondness for yellow; the sun baths bathed his soul. He was a man who feared darkness. He needed heat."

The Red Vineyard, The Sower, Café Terrace at Night, and The Yellow House are some of his most famous paintings created during his stay in Arles.

2. The discovery of new chrome yellow pigments

Perhaps one of the most straightforward theories surrounding Van Gogh's heavy use of yellow is the discovery of new chrome yellow pigments developed during the nineteenth century. While he was already painting with yellow at this stage, it's said he loved these chrome hues that were much brighter than the yellows that came before them.

One of the first works in his series of sunflower oil paintings was made possible thanks to these new hues, and van Gogh had no reservations about using them to make his sunflowers much more luminous.

While these vibrant chrome colors were a favorite of Van Gogh's, in recent years their colors have been fading and turning olive-brown. Although we can still his expressive strokes, experts explain that their discoloration is a result of chemical changes, particularly prevalent in the light-sensitive chromium pigments he used for his iconic works like Sunflowers, View of Arles with Irises, and The Banks of the Seine.

3. Did medical conditions impact van Gogh's vision?

Other theories consider Van Gogh's use of yellow may have been linked to medical conditions. It's believed he was treated with digitalis (foxglove) for seizures, intoxication from which could cause changes to vision by inducing a rare disease called xanthopsia. The disease is said to alter perceptions of color, giving objects a yellowish tone.

In one of his paintings, Dr. Paul Gachet—who treated him during the last years of his life—appears sitting by a vase of foxglove flowers. Was Van Gogh trying to tell us something?

Still, exploring this theory in an article published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, they write it's unlikely that van Gogh "would have outlasted extended periods of digitalis levels high enough to induce xanthopsia."

Another idea considers that the yellow halos in The Starry Night could be linked to his glaucoma. The disease, which causes a darkening of the cornea, may have made him see circular halos around the points of light. As this is how he saw reality, that is how he painted it.

While some support medical theories, others believe that his color choice was simply a personal one—perhaps encouraged by his love of the light in Arles?

And although it's these yellow-imbued paintings, created during this period that typically first come to mind when we think of the artist, the Van Gogh Museum emphasizes that he used a very diverse color palette throughout his works, and was hugely interested in color theory.

Whatever the reason we associate Van Gogh and yellow, it is thanks to the sunny color that—even at the end of a day—Van Gogh could still see the light from The Café Terrace.

What is your favorite Van Gogh painting? Leave us your answers in the comments below.

English version by @acesarato; updated by @amyvsnelling.

Brush up on your knowledge of famous painters and artworks

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- Finally, to learn techniques and practical tips to hone your own painting style, explore all of Domestika's online painting courses.