In December 1883 Vincent moved in with his family in Nuenen where he spent the next two years. During this period he made about 194 paintings and 263 drawings there. It is in Nuenen where Van Gogh actively started to paint with oil paint. One of his first paintings in Nuenen is his work of the reformed church. This church is still there and can be visited.
In Nuenen Vincent made a lot of studies of heads to train himself in painting portraits. The Nuenen farmers were his subject. After almost two years of painting, Vincent wanted to prove himself as an artist. This is when he painted The potato eaters.
Van Gogh also painted the house the potato eaters lived in, this house still exists.
In 1885 he paints the house (vicarage) he lives in with his family. This vicarage is still in use and Van Gogh’s atelier there has been partly preserved.