Flying Fox, 1885
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)
Oil on Canvas, 41 x 79 cm
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
(Vincent van Gogh Stichting)
F 177

A flying fox is a type of bat found, among other places, in Indonesia. Van Gogh probably knew it from a museum or private collection in Brabant, Antwerp or Paris. There has been much discussion surrounding the date of this work. The background has the dark, brownish tones typical of Van Gogh?s Nuenen period. The wings, however – which are illuminated from behind so that the light shines through – are painted in bright colors and with rough brushstrokes. This seems to indicate a knowledge of avant-garde painting that the painter would not have had in Nuenen. It is thus still not clear when or where this picture was painted.