The First and Last Paintings of Legendary Artists

And how style transforms across a lifetime...

Picasso’s first and last self-portrait

In a letter to his brother Theo, dated October 28, 1883, Vincent van Gogh wrote:

If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint — and that voice will be silenced.

Every time I come across Van Gogh’s letters, I’m struck by how remarkable it is that one of the most iconic painters of all time could also think such profound, moving thoughts — and communicate them with a clarity and beauty that rivals high literature…

This particular sentiment is undeniable for anyone who has ever attempted to create: the moment the voice of doubt creeps in, you face a choice. You can either give up, or you can deliberately decide to keep going. If you choose the latter, if you truly commit to the path you feel destined to follow, something extraordinary happens. Not only does the voice of doubt begin to fade, but the melodic voice of the muse starts to emerge, fueling your creativity and guiding your hand.

It happens every time. One of the most comforting aspects of this process is that no matter how celebrated an artist becomes, every single one of them has faced that same internal struggle. What unites them all is this: they chose to ignore the doubting voice and press forward. That first painting marked the beginning of their journey; the last painting, the culmination of a lifetime devoted to art. Every work, from first to last, is a testament to their courage to continue, and it is this courage that allows their work to reach and inspire us today.

Through this process, their art transforms into something greater — a language that speaks directly to the soul. As Leonardo da Vinci wrote in A Treatise on Painting (1651):

Painting is poetry which is seen and not heard, and poetry is a painting which is heard but not seen.

Here are the first and final paintings of 10 of the greatest artists of all time…

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1. Vincent van Gogh

In December 1881, Vincent van Gogh painted one of his first works: Still Life With Cabbage and Clogs. Over the next ten years, his style would transform completely…

When Vincent first settled in The Hague, he reached out to his cousin-in-law, the painter Anton Mauve, who introduced him to oil and watercolor painting and even lent him money to set up a studio. Reflecting on this painting, van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo: “Well, Mauve immediately installed me in front of a still life consisting of a couple of old clogs and other objects, and so I could set to work.” In Mauve’s studio, Vincent was allowed to paint in oils right away — a rare opportunity for a student artist.

The painting itself was primarily an exercise in color, texture, and brushwork. Though it shows no hint yet of the signature Van Gogh style, it is remarkable that in 2025 we can still admire one of the Dutch master’s very first attempts at painting.

Contrast this with Tree Roots, painted in July 1890 in Auvers-sur-Oise, France, after Vincent left the asylum at Saint-Rémy in May. Often considered his final piece before his death later that month, it reveals the legendary style of Van Gogh in full bloom.

In a letter to his mentor Anthon van Rappard, Vincent admitted:

The thing has already taken form in my mind before I start it. The first attempts are absolutely unbearable. I say this because I want you to know that if you see something worthwhile in what I am doing, it is not by accident but because of real direction and purpose.

2. Claude Monet

Painted when Monet was just seventeen, View from Rouelles (1858) is the earliest known work by the French artist. Signed “O. Monet,” it predates the moment when Oscar-Claude Monet would drop the “Oscar” from his name in his early twenties.

By the end of his life, Monet was losing his sight, yet he refused to lay down his brushes. Having suffered from cataracts since 1912, he underwent surgery in 1923, which initially altered his perception of color and required a series of corrective treatments. By the spring of 1925, however, he returned to work with renewed intensity.

In a July letter to his friend André Barbier, he wrote:

I must be free at 10 in the morning to go back to work. This is for me an unsurpassable joy. Since your last visit my sight is a lot better. I work as never before and I am very satisfied with what I am doing. If my lenses were even better, I could only wish to live until I am one hundred years old.

From 1913 until his death in 1926, Monet focused primarily on the monumental Water Lilies series, with other works devoted exclusively to views of his beloved garden. While we cannot be certain, some experts believe his very last painting is Les Roses (The Rose Bush), dated 1925–1926 — a final celebration of the colors he cherished until the very end:

3. Gustav Klimt