Van Gogh and Gauguin Quiz: Nine Weeks in Arles and the Ear

This Van Gogh and Gauguin quiz revisits the brief, explosive partnership in the south of France. Play 10 interactive questions on the Yellow House, Sunflowers painted to welcome a guest, Theo's support, Gauguin's portrait of Vincent painting sunflowers, two paintings of empty chairs, their arguments, the night Vincent cut his ear and what happened next.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Town
In which town did Van Gogh and Gauguin live together?
Year
In which year did Gauguin arrive?
House
What was Vincent's rented house called?
Welcome
What did Vincent paint to decorate Gauguin's room?
Brother
Who paid for much of the arrangement?
Portrait
What did Gauguin paint of Vincent?
Chairs
What did Vincent paint to represent the two men?
Length
Roughly how long did they live together?
Ear
What did Vincent do after a fierce quarrel?
After
Where did Gauguin later travel to paint?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: In which town did Van Gogh and Gauguin live together?
Answer: Arles
It is in Provence.
Q2: In which year did Gauguin arrive?
Answer: 1888
He came in October.
Q3: What was Vincent's rented house called?
Answer: The Yellow House
He hoped to found an artists' studio.
Q4: What did Vincent paint to decorate Gauguin's room?
Answer: Sunflowers
He made several versions.
Q5: Who paid for much of the arrangement?
Answer: Theo van Gogh
He was an art dealer.
Q6: What did Gauguin paint of Vincent?
Answer: Vincent painting sunflowers
Vincent disliked it.
Q7: What did Vincent paint to represent the two men?
Answer: Their empty chairs
Each chair reflects a personality.
Q8: Roughly how long did they live together?
Answer: About nine weeks
It ended in December.
Q9: What did Vincent do after a fierce quarrel?
Answer: Cut off part of his ear
It happened on 23 December 1888.
Q10: Where did Gauguin later travel to paint?
Answer: Tahiti
He left Europe in 1891.

Nine Weeks in the Yellow House

In 1888 Vincent van Gogh rented the Yellow House in Arles, Provence, hoping to found a studio for artists. His brother Theo, an art dealer, paid for Paul Gauguin to join him. To welcome Gauguin, Vincent painted Sunflowers to decorate the guest room.

Gauguin arrived in October 1888, and for about nine weeks they painted side by side. Gauguin painted Vincent painting sunflowers, a portrait Vincent disliked. Vincent painted their empty chairs, each reflecting a personality. Their arguments about art grew more intense.

On 23 December 1888, after a fierce quarrel, Vincent cut off part of his ear. Gauguin left Arles soon after, and the two never met again, though they wrote letters. Vincent entered an asylum at Saint-Rémy in 1889, and Gauguin later sailed to Tahiti in 1891.

What This Quiz Teaches

Art history fans will enjoy these questions.

Where they lived
Why Sunflowers was painted
What they painted of each other
What happened in December
Where they went next

Did You Know?

Theo supported Vincent all his life.
The Night Café was painted in Arles.
The Yellow House was destroyed in 1944.
Gauguin wrote about Vincent later.
Vincent painted a self-portrait with a bandage.