Vincent left the troubles and loneliness of Drenthe and returned to live with his parents in Nuenen. At first the relationship was a stormy one, but over time the family difficulties lessened. It is here that Vincent really began to grow as an artist, and the paintings completed in Nuenen reveal that the work is paying off in a more assured technique and his own personal style of painting. He painted local weavers and landscapes, and spent much time working on a series of about 50 studies of the heads of local peasants. Not all was well at this time as he had another relationship end badly, this one with the neighbor's daughter, Margot Begemann. Then his father died unexpectedly just before his birthday in 1885. It was at this time that Vincent painted what most consider to be his first masterpiece, The Potato Eaters. Moving to Antwerp to pursue a formal art education, his time there broadened his experience of art and his palette became more colorful, but as one might expect the art academy did not work out because the structured educators had problems with his unique style of drawing.
![]() | Weaver Facing Right (Half-Figure) Nuenen January 1884 F 26, JH 450 |
![]() | Weaver Facing Right Nuenen February 1884 F 162, JH 457 |
![]() | The Old Tower at Nuenen with People Walking Nuenen February 1884 F 184, JH 458 |
![]() | The Old Tower at Nuenen with a Ploughman Nuenen February 1884 F 34, JH 459 |
![]() | Weaver Facing Left with Spinning Wheel Nuenen March 1884 F 29, JH 471 |
![]() | Landscape with Pollard Willows Nuenen April 1884 F 31, JH 477 |
![]() | Weaver Arranging Threads Nuenen May 1884 F 35, JH 478 |
![]() | Weaver, Seen From the Front Nuenen May 1884 F 30, JH 479 |
![]() | Weaver Arranging Threads Nuenen May 1884 F 32, JH 480 |
![]() | The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen Nuenen May 1884 F 185, JH 484 |
![]() | Water Mill at Kollen Near Nuenen Nuenen May 1884 F 48a, JH 488 |
![]() | Weaver Standing in Front of a Loom Nuenen May 1884 F 33, JH 489 |
![]() | The Old Church Tower at Nuenen Nuenen May 1884 F 88, JH 490 |
![]() | Village at Sunset Nuenen Summer 1884 F 190, JH 492 |
![]() | Weaver Near an Open Window Nuenen July 1884 F 24, JH 500 |
![]() | Weaver, Interior with Three Small Windows Nuenen July 1884 F 37, JH 501 |
![]() | Weaver Seen From the Front Nuenen July 1884 F 27, JH 503 |
![]() | Cart with Red and White Ox Nuenen July 1884 F 38, JH 504 |
![]() | Cart with Black Ox Nuenen July 1884 F 39, JH 505 |
![]() | The Old Tower in the Fields Nuenen July 1884 F 40, JH 507 |
![]() | Farmers Planting Potatoes Nuenen August - September 1885 F 41, JH 513 |
![]() | Potato Planting Nuenen September 1884 F 172, JH 514 |
![]() | Wood Gatherers in the Snow Nuenen September 1884 F 43, JH 516 |
![]() | Shepherd with a Flock of Sheep Nuenen September 1884 F 42, JH 517 |
![]() | Avenue of Poplars at Sunset Nuenen October 1884 F 123, JH 518 |
![]() | Lane in Autumn Nuenen October 1884 F 120, JH 519 |
![]() | Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen Nuenen January - February 1884 and autumn 1885 F 25, JH 521 |
![]() | Avenue of Poplars in Autumn Nuenen October 1884 F 122, JH 522 |
![]() | Water Mill at Gennep Nuenen November 1884 F 46, JH 524 |
![]() | Water Mill at Gennep Nuenen November 1884 F 125, JH 525 |
![]() | Water Mill at Gennep Nuenen November 1884 F 47, JH 526 |
![]() | Water Mill at Opwetten Nuenen November 1884 F 48, JH 527 |
![]() | Still Life with Pots, Jar, and Bottles Nuenen November 1884 F 178r, JH 528 |
![]() | Still Life with Four Stone Bottles, Flask, and White Cup Nuenen November 1884 F 50, JH 529 |
![]() | Still Life with Five Bottles Nuenen November 1884 F 56, JH 530 |
![]() | Still Life with Pottery, Beer Glass, and Bottle Nuenen November 1884 F 58, JH 531 |
![]() | Still Life with Two Sacks and a Bottle Nuenen November 1884 F 55, JH 532 |
![]() | Still Life with Bottles and Earthenware Nuenen November 1884 - April 1885 F 61r, JH 533 |
![]() | Beer Tankards Nuenen September - October 1885 F 49, JH 534 |
![]() | Still Life with Coffee Mill, Pipe Case, and Jug Nuenen November 1884 F 52, JH 535 |
![]() | Still Life with Clogs and Pots Nuenen November 1884 F 54, JH 536 |
![]() | Still Life with Bottles and a Cowrie Shell Nuenen November 1884 F 64, JH 537 |
![]() | Still Life with Earthenware and Bottles Nuenen September - October 1884 F 53, JH 538 |
![]() | Still Life with Pottery and Two Bottles Nuenen November 1884 F 57, JH 539 |
![]() | Still Life with Paintbrushes in a Pot Nuenen September - October 1884 F 60, JH 540 |
![]() | Vase with Dead Leaves Nuenen November 1884 F 200, JH 541 |
![]() | Vase with Honesty Nuenen Autumn-Winter 1884 F 76, JH 542 |
![]() | Two Rats Nuenen November 1884 F 177, JH 543 |
![]() | Peasant Woman, Seated with White Cap Nuenen December 1884 F 143, JH 546 |
![]() | Head of a Peasant Woman with Dark Cap Nuenen December 1884 F 136a, JH 548 |
![]() | Head of an Old Peasant Woman with White Cap Nuenen December 1884 F 75, JH 550 |
![]() | Head of an Old Peasant Woman with White Cap Nuenen December 1884 F 146, JH 551 |
![]() | Head of a Man Nuenen November 1884 - January 1885 F 164, JH 558 |
![]() | Head of a Peasant Woman with White Cap Nuenen December 1884 F 144, JH 561 |
![]() | Head of a Peasant with Cap Nuenen December 1884 F 160a, JH 563 |
![]() | Head of a Peasant Woman with White Cap Nuenen December 1884 F 146a, JH 565 |
![]() | Head of a Woman Nuenen November 1884 - January 1885 F 156, JH 569 |
![]() | Head of a Peasant Woman Nuenen December 1884 F 132, JH 574 |
![]() | Head of a Peasant with Cap Nuenen January 1885 F 169a, JH 583 |
![]() | Head of a Peasant Woman with Dark Cap Nuenen January 1885 F 133, JH 584 |
![]() | Head of a Peasant Woman with Dark Cap Nuenen January 1885 F 135, JH 585 |
![]() | Head of a Peasant Woman with Dark Cap Nuenen January 1885 F 153a, JH 586 |
![]() | Head of a Brabant Peasant Woman with Dark Cap Nuenen January 1885 F 153, JH 587 |
![]() | Head of a Peasant Woman Nuenen January 1885 F 159, JH NONE |
![]() | Head of a Peasant Woman with Dark Cap Nuenen January 1885 F 137, JH 593 |
![]() | The Old Cemetery Tower at Nuenen in the Snow Nuenen January 1885 F 87, JH 600 |
![]() | The Old Station at Eindhoven Nuenen January 1885 F 67a, JH 602 |
![]() | The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in the Snow Nuenen January 1885 F 194, JH 603 |
![]() | Head of a Peasant Woman with Red Cap Nuenen January 1885 F 160, JH 722 |
![]() | Woman with a Mourning Shawl Nuenen March - May 1885 F 161, JH 788 |
![]() | Still Life with Earthenware, Bottle, and Clogs by Vincent van Gogh Nuenen September 1885 F 63, JH 920 |
![]() | Still Life with Yellow Straw Hat Nuenen September 1885 F 62, JH 922 |
Vincent's Earlier Period Was In Etten, The Hague, and Drenthe | Vincent's Next Period Was In Paris |