Five Key Portraits by Vincent van Gogh: From Joseph Roulin to Dr. Gachet
Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) produced approximately 900 artworks, with a notable focus on portraits. He selected his subjects for their unique traits, employing vivid colors and dynamic brushwork to reveal their essence. In a letter to his sister Willemien in 1890, he asserted that portraits ought to convey emotion. Among his prominent pieces are the 1889 Portrait of Joseph Roulin, painted six times and currently housed at the Kröller-Müller Museum; La Berceuse (1888–89), featuring Augustine Roulin and intended for an Icelandic fishing vessel; Portrait of Eugene Boch (1888), located at the Musée d'Orsay; and Portrait of Dr. Gachet (1890), also at the Musée d'Orsay. Agostina Segatori Sitting in the Café du Tambourin (1887) showcases the café owner and highlights Van Gogh's color experimentation.
Key facts
- Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) began painting at 27 and created around 900 paintings.
- He painted six portraits of Joseph Roulin between August 1888 and April 1889.
- The 1889 Portrait of Joseph Roulin is held at the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo.
- La Berceuse (1888–89) depicts Augustine Roulin and was intended to be displayed with Van Gogh's Sunflowers series.
- Portrait of Eugene Boch (1888) is now at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
- Portrait of Dr. Gachet (1890) shows Van Gogh's doctor in Auvers-sur-Oise and is at the Musée d'Orsay.
- Agostina Segatori Sitting in the Café du Tambourin (1887) portrays the Italian owner of a Paris café frequented by artists.
- Van Gogh organized an exhibition of his prints at the Café du Tambourin.
Entities
Artists
- Vincent van Gogh
- Joseph Roulin
- Augustine Roulin
- Eugene Boch
- Dr. Paul Ferdinand Gachet
- Agostina Segatori
- Georges Seurat
- Paul Gauguin
- Emile Bernard
- Louis Anquetin
- Edouard Manet
- Eugène Delacroix
- Willemien van Gogh
- Theo van Gogh
- Claude Monet
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Paul Cezanne
Institutions
- Kröller-Müller Museum
- Musée d'Orsay
- Van Gogh Museum
- Café du Tambourin
- Saint-Remy psychiatric institute
Locations
- Arles
- France
- Paris
- Auvers-sur-Oise
- Otterlo
- Netherlands
- Saint-Remy
- Iceland