1889, Vincent van Gogh, La Berceuse (portrait of Madame Roulin) -- Kroller-Muller Museum (Otterlo)
From the museum label: When Anton goes to Paris on a business trip in April 1912, Helene follows later together with Bremmer to 'hunt for all the best Van Goghs'. On the very first evening in Paris they find La Berceuse. It is 'the peace with which Van Gogh faced the complexity of things' that according to Helene shows 'what was actually the greatness of Van Gogh in his French period.' For her, that peace is the most important thing that a work of art can convey.
Augustine Roulin, wife of Joseph Roulin, the postmaster at the station in Arles, is depicted by Van Gogh as a cradle rocker ('berceuse'). She holds a string, which she uses to rock the cradle of her newborn daughter Marcelle, who is not shown here. Van Gogh is mainly interested in the atmosphere of the painting. 'The colours, various tints of green and red, are intended to evoke a feeling of comfort and warmth, like the musical notes of a lullaby."
Link to a high-resolution close-up photo of details from this painting.
Link to other van Gogh paintings
1889, Vincent van Gogh, La Berceuse (portrait of Madame Roulin) -- Kroller-Muller Museum (Otterlo)
From the museum label: When Anton goes to Paris on a business trip in April 1912, Helene follows later together with Bremmer to 'hunt for all the best Van Goghs'. On the very first evening in Paris they find La Berceuse. It is 'the peace with which Van Gogh faced the complexity of things' that according to Helene shows 'what was actually the greatness of Van Gogh in his French period.' For her, that peace is the most important thing that a work of art can convey.
Augustine Roulin, wife of Joseph Roulin, the postmaster at the station in Arles, is depicted by Van Gogh as a cradle rocker ('berceuse'). She holds a string, which she uses to rock the cradle of her newborn daughter Marcelle, who is not shown here. Van Gogh is mainly interested in the atmosphere of the painting. 'The colours, various tints of green and red, are intended to evoke a feeling of comfort and warmth, like the musical notes of a lullaby."
Link to a high-resolution close-up photo of details from this painting.
Link to other van Gogh paintings