# Van Gogh Museum study on artist signatures > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/van-gogh-museum-study-on-artist-signatures > Updated: 2026-08-22T21:34:33.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2. The Van Gogh Museum has conducted a study titled ‘Simply Vincent: An Overview of Van Gogh’s Signed Paintings’ to investigate why the artist signed only 133 of his approximately 840 known works, representing about 15 percent of his output. Initial research indicates that Van Gogh’s preference for using his first name over his surname was a practical decision, as he believed his Dutch surname was difficult for international audiences to pronounce. He had previously requested his brother, Theo, that his name appear in exhibitions as ‘Vincent and not Van Gogh’. The study also notes his tendency to deviate from 19th-century conventions by using red ink or paint for signatures in at least 75 instances. Further analysis suggests a correlation between the frequency of his signatures and his mental health, self-esteem, and artistic confidence. While his signing patterns shifted during his productive periods in Paris and Arles, his tendency to sign paintings declined as his emotional state deteriorated. For example, during his stay in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, he produced 151 paintings but signed very few, including ‘The Starry Night’. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-22: Van Gogh signed only 15% of his paintings, study finds A Van Gogh Museum study finds the artist signed only 15% of his works, suggesting a link between his signatures and his fluctuating mental health and artistic confidence. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/van-gogh-signed-only-15-of-his-paintings-study-finds ### 2026-08-13: Van Gogh Museum study analyzes artist's rare signatures A Van Gogh Museum study reveals the artist signed only 15% of his works, often using ‘Vincent’ instead of his surname to avoid pronunciation difficulties for international audiences. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/van-gogh-museum-study-analyzes-artists-rare-signatures --- Cite as: Van Gogh Museum study on artist signatures. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/van-gogh-museum-study-on-artist-signatures