Head Of A Skeleton With A Burning Cigarette

Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette is a striking and darkly humorous work by Vincent van Gogh, created around 1885–1886 during his time at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. The painting features a human skull, rendered in careful anatomical detail, with a lit cigarette dangling casually from its mouth.

Likely intended as a satirical study or student exercise, the image blends academic tradition with Van Gogh’s irreverent wit. The stark contrast between life and death—symbolized by the glowing cigarette in the skeletal jaw—adds a layer of irony and existential reflection. Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette stands out as one of Van Gogh’s most unconventional and memorable early works, foreshadowing his bold visual imagination and psychological depth.