New historical evidence suggests that Vincent van Gogh’s iconic 'Yellow House' in Arles underwent a dramatic color change before its destruction. While Van Gogh famously painted and cherished the building for its yellow facade in 1888, two recently highlighted paintings from the late 1930s by artists Willy Guggenheim (Varlin) and George Tomaziu depict the structure with a blue exterior. This discovery, brought to light by Ukrainian artist Yuri Pikul, indicates the building had been repainted while serving as a café-bar called the Civette Arlésienne.
This finding adds a new layer to the provenance and architectural history of one of the most famous sites in art history. Although the building was tragically destroyed by Allied bombing in 1944 and subsequently demolished, these visual records correct the long-held assumption that the house remained yellow until its end. The revelation coincides with a new exhibition dedicated to the color yellow at the Van Gogh Museum, highlighting the enduring fascination with the artist's chromatic choices and his 'little yellow house.'