Skeleton Week: Van Gogh's Skull

Happy Skeleton Week! Since Halloween is fast approaching, I thought it might be fun to start throwing in a few theme weeks, starting with an underrated icon of the season: the skeleton! Each day this week, expect a new post dealing with skeletons, bones, or skulls....starting with today's art feature!

You've probably seen this image before, but did you know that its actually a painting by famed artist, Vincent Van Gogh? This oil on canvas masterpiece is entitled Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette. It is believed to have been painted during the winter of 1885-1886 while Van Gogh was attending art classes at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Since 1973, the painting has been on a permanent loan at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Definitely check out the Wikipedia page for this painting for more information!