Some say that van Gogh painted it as a joke or “satirical” image. Others say that it could have alluded to the idea of death, painted as a type of “memento mori”.
If we look at van Gogh's work, we will find a lighter side to a darker subject matter. It is not often that we see a skeleton smoking, as if it is alive, evoking even a chuckle or grin.
There are two dominant areas of color, namely the dark, black, background and the off-whites of the skeleton’s bones that seemingly stand out more against the dark of the background.
The brushstrokes are seemingly haphazardly applied, running vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, in different shades of color, but all coming together to form the composition quite clearly.
The painting appears like a portrait, the skeleton can be easily assumed to be sitting. It is portrayed from a semi-profile angle. The painting itself measures 32 by 24.5 centimeters (13 by 9.6 inches).
Van Gogh aptly illustrated the famous adage, “Smoking will kill you”, bringing to life an image that has been associated with death for centuries, which is the image of a skeleton.