Madame Roulin and Her Baby
Original title: Madame Roulin and Her Baby
kurzbeschreibung
Augustine Roulin, the wife of postman Auguste Roulin, cradles her daughter Marcelle in her arms. Vincent van Gogh painted the two in 1888 in oil on canvas; the picture measures 63.5 × 50.8 cm. It belongs to a series of portraits made during his stay in Arles.
Description
A woman holds a baby on her arm. The child is wrapped in a white dress, wears a light blue scarf and a headband. The woman's hands, painted in a yellowish tone, clasp the child. Behind the figures appears a yellow wall, on the right a piece of green clothing. Strong colors and a heavily textured surface define the image.
Context
Created in 1888 in Arles, when van Gogh repeatedly painted Augustine Roulin and her family. The Roulins were friendly with him; Auguste Roulin, the postman, became a central subject in van Gogh's Arles work. In a phase of intense production, the artist sought new paths in color and brushstroke.
Impact
Luminous yellow and green give the picture a warm, intimate mood. The impasto application and visible brushmarks create a lively surface that holds the viewer's gaze. The portrait feels both tender and expressive, as is characteristic of van Gogh's later works.
Technique
Oil paint was applied to canvas in thick, impasto layers. Brush and palette knife marks form a relief-like texture. The colors are used directly and unmixed, which enhances the picture's luminosity.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)