The Potato Peeler (reverse: Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat)
Original title: The Potato Peeler (reverse: Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat)
kurzbeschreibung
In 1885, Vincent van Gogh painted a woman peeling potatoes. The work is an oil on canvas measuring 40.6 x 31.8 cm. It shows a peasant woman in traditional dress seated in a dim room.
Description
Seated on a chair, the woman holds a vegetable grater. Her traditional head covering and dark garment stand out. The background remains dark and blurred, making the figure emerge. Light strikes the person from the left, accentuating contours and surfaces. The colors are restrained, with a strong contrast between the bright areas of the face and headdress and the darker regions of the dress and surroundings.
Context
The painting belongs to 1885, when van Gogh was living in Nuenen in the Netherlands and deeply engaged with peasant life. It is one of the studies he made for his later masterpiece 'The Potato Eaters'. On the reverse of the canvas is a self-portrait with a straw hat, which attests to his economical use of materials.
Impact
The dark color choices and tight framing give the scene a serious and concentrated feel. The interplay of light and shadow lends the image a quiet, almost intimate mood. The simple arrangement directs the viewer's attention to the woman's everyday task.
Technique
The painting is executed in oil on canvas. Van Gogh used careful brushwork to render the textures of the clothing and head covering. The paint layers are applied thinly, with visible brushstrokes contributing to the realistic effect.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)