Skull with Burning Cigarette - Vincent van Gogh
Archival giclée
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Description
A striking Post-Impressionist study by Vincent van Gogh, featuring a skull with a lit cigarette, painted in Antwerp in 1886.
Painted in Antwerp during the winter of 1886, this work is a small oil on canvas that departs from the traditional memento mori genre. While the vanitas tradition typically employs symbols of decay to remind the viewer of mortality, Van Gogh introduces a sardonic, almost humorous element by placing a lit cigarette between the teeth of the skull. The brushwork is rapid and expressive, characteristic of his period at the Antwerp Academy, where he studied anatomy and classical forms.
The skull is rendered in shades of ochre, yellow, and white, set against a stark, dark background. The lighting is focused, creating deep shadows within the eye sockets and nasal cavity. The cigarette, with its thin wisp of smoke, provides a sharp contrast to the skeletal structure. This piece was created while Van Gogh was formalising his technique, moving away from the darker palette of his earlier Dutch period towards the brighter colours he would later adopt in Paris.
Art historians often view this painting as a personal joke or a critique of the academic rigour he encountered at the academy. It remains a curious example of his ability to blend traditional subject matter with a modern, irreverent sensibility. The composition is tight, focusing entirely on the skull and upper torso, which forces the viewer to confront the object directly. The paint application is thick, showing the physical movement of the brush across the surface, which adds a tactile quality to the image. This print captures the texture of the original oil paint, allowing for a close examination of his early stylistic development.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Skull with Burning Cigarette - Vincent van Gogh
Artist Biography
Vincent Van Gogh
He taught himself to draw by copying prints and working through textbooks. His brother Theo, an art dealer in Paris, sent money every month for the rest of Vincent's life. Without Theo there are no paintings. The letters between them, over 600, are one of the most complete records of any artist's thinking. Van Gogh wrote about colour theory, composition, what he ate, what he read, how much he spent on paint. He was articulate and well-read and not, despite the popular version, simply mad.
He moved to Paris in 1886 and encountered Impressionism. The palette changed immediately: from the dark browns of his Dutch period to the colours people actually associate with his work. He met Gauguin, Pissarro, Signac, Toulouse-Lautrec. He absorbed Pointillism and Japanese prints. Then he moved to Arles in the south of France, where the light was better and people were fewer.
The Arles period produced Sunflowers, The Bedroom, Starry Night Over the Rhone. The breakdown followed: the argument with Gauguin, the severed ear (he cut part of his left ear, not the whole thing), the asylum at Saint-Remy, and then Auvers-sur-Oise, where he painted seventy canvases in seventy days before dying from a gunshot wound at thirty-seven. He sold one painting during his lifetime, or possibly two. Theo died six months later.
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