The painting depicts Van Gogh's bedroom at 2, Place Lamartine in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France, known as the Yellow House.

[1] Van Gogh started the first version during mid October 1888 while staying in Arles, and explained his aims and means to his brother Theo: This time it simply reproduces my bedroom; but colour must be abundant in this part, its simplification adding a rank of grandee to the style applied to the objects, getting to suggest a certain rest or dream.

The square pieces of furniture must express unswerving rest; also the portraits on the wall, the mirror, the bottle, and some costumes.

[4] This version has on the wall to the right miniatures of van Gogh's portraits of his friends Eugène Boch and Paul-Eugène Milliet.

[5][6] In April 1889, Van Gogh sent the initial version to his brother regretting that it had been damaged by the flood of the Rhône while he was interned at the Old Hospital in Arles.

[7][8][9] In the summer of 1889, Van Gogh decided to redo some of his "best" compositions in a smaller size (the term he used was réductions) for his mother and his sister Wil; The Bedroom was among the subjects he chose.