There are at least 9 portraits made of the Postman Joseph Roulin, and 17 of his family. The Postman became one of his Van Gogh’s favorite sitters in the French town of Arles. Van Gogh wrote to his brother about him:
“I am now at work with another model, a postman in a blue uniform, trimmed with gold, a big bearded face, very like Socrates.”
Van Gogh compared Roulin to Socrates on many occasions. He described him as “such a good soul and so wise and so full of feeling and so trustful.”
Postman Joseph Roulin, 1888
Van Gogh loved to paint portraits but models were difficult to afford. Joseph Roulin, his wife, and his children all agreed to several sittings, so Van Gogh created 23 paintings of the Postman and his family between 1888-1889.
After her husband had posed several times for van Gogh, Augustine sat for both van Gogh and Paul Gauguin in the house the two men shared. During the sitting, she kept her gaze on Gauguin, possibly because she was not comfortable in the presence of van Gogh.
The Mother or Portrait of Madame Augustine Roulin, Nov–Dec 1888
Van Gogh created several works while Augustine rocked her cradle by a string. Van Gogh titled the group of paintings La Berceuse which means “lullaby” or “the woman rocking the cradle.”
Armand Roulin, their eldest son, lived from 1871 – 1945. He was 17 when painted by van Gogh.At the time the paintings were made Armand had left his parents’ home, working as a blacksmith’s apprentice.
Portrait of Armand Roulin, 1888
Portrait of Armand Roulin, 1888
Young Man with a Cap (Armand Roulin), 1888
Camille Roulin, the middle child, lived from 1877 – 1922. He was eleven when his portrait was painted.
Portrait of Camille Roulin, 1888, Oil on Canvas, 40.5 X 32.5 cm
Portrait of Camille Roulin, 1888
he Schoolboy with Uniform Cap (Camille Roulin), early December, 1888
Marcelle Roulin, the youngest child lived for 100 years, from 1888 to 1980! She was four months old when van Gogh painted her. She was painted three times by herself and twice on her mother’s lap.
Portrait of Marcelle Roulin, 1888, Oil on Canvas, 35 X 24.5 cm
Portrait of Marcelle Roulin, 1888
Roulin’s Baby, 1888
Portrait of Madame Augustine Roulin and Baby Marcelle, 1888
Today’s TRANSCRIPTION Challenge: Titian’s Bacchus and Ariadne #bacchusandariadne Post it To be eligible for prizes (yes prizes!) at the end of the month, post your work to Instagram with #30sal and #bacchusandariadne so we can find your post. To find more followers for your page, you can cut/paste these to your post: #30sal #bacchusandariadne #titian #transcription #classicalpainting #arthistory #vnotes #creativechallenge …
One year ago in March, to protect our students and teachers from a new coronavirus, the Seattle Artist League moved our classes online. The virus was declared a national emergency, and we went into quarantine. We have now been in quarantine for thirteen months. Through this year, we have met each other online to draw, …
Yesterday I posted drawings by Stanley Lewis. Lewis was one of the influences listed by Charity Baker at the New York Studio School. Looking through Lewis’ art and writing, I found an interview on Painting Perceptions that talked about his methods, and his influences: “[Painting from perception] often feels like a horribly impossible thing to …
This is day 4 of the 30SAL creative challenge! To learn more about this 30 day challenge, click here. Looking at only the back of this altarpiece fragment, imagine what the front looks like, and recreate it. You can draw, paint, lay out baguettes and hosiery, or anything else that inspires you. Share your drawing …
Van Gogh: The Postman and his Family
There are at least 9 portraits made of the Postman Joseph Roulin, and 17 of his family. The Postman became one of his Van Gogh’s favorite sitters in the French town of Arles. Van Gogh wrote to his brother about him:
“I am now at work with another model, a postman in a blue uniform, trimmed with gold, a big bearded face, very like Socrates.”
Van Gogh compared Roulin to Socrates on many occasions. He described him as “such a good soul and so wise and so full of feeling and so trustful.”
Van Gogh loved to paint portraits but models were difficult to afford. Joseph Roulin, his wife, and his children all agreed to several sittings, so Van Gogh created 23 paintings of the Postman and his family between 1888-1889.
After her husband had posed several times for van Gogh, Augustine sat for both van Gogh and Paul Gauguin in the house the two men shared. During the sitting, she kept her gaze on Gauguin, possibly because she was not comfortable in the presence of van Gogh.
Van Gogh created several works while Augustine rocked her cradle by a string. Van Gogh titled the group of paintings La Berceuse which means “lullaby” or “the woman rocking the cradle.”
Armand Roulin, their eldest son, lived from 1871 – 1945. He was 17 when painted by van Gogh. At the time the paintings were made Armand had left his parents’ home, working as a blacksmith’s apprentice.
Camille Roulin, the middle child, lived from 1877 – 1922. He was eleven when his portrait was painted.
Marcelle Roulin, the youngest child lived for 100 years, from 1888 to 1980! She was four months old when van Gogh painted her. She was painted three times by herself and twice on her mother’s lap.
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Day 21: Bacchus & Ariadne #30SAL
Today’s TRANSCRIPTION Challenge: Titian’s Bacchus and Ariadne #bacchusandariadne Post it To be eligible for prizes (yes prizes!) at the end of the month, post your work to Instagram with #30sal and #bacchusandariadne so we can find your post. To find more followers for your page, you can cut/paste these to your post: #30sal #bacchusandariadne #titian #transcription #classicalpainting #arthistory #vnotes #creativechallenge …
Online Anniversary Show: Figures and Interiors
One year ago in March, to protect our students and teachers from a new coronavirus, the Seattle Artist League moved our classes online. The virus was declared a national emergency, and we went into quarantine. We have now been in quarantine for thirteen months. Through this year, we have met each other online to draw, …
Stanley Lewis talks about his mentor
Yesterday I posted drawings by Stanley Lewis. Lewis was one of the influences listed by Charity Baker at the New York Studio School. Looking through Lewis’ art and writing, I found an interview on Painting Perceptions that talked about his methods, and his influences: “[Painting from perception] often feels like a horribly impossible thing to …
Day 4: Altarpiece #30SAL
This is day 4 of the 30SAL creative challenge! To learn more about this 30 day challenge, click here. Looking at only the back of this altarpiece fragment, imagine what the front looks like, and recreate it. You can draw, paint, lay out baguettes and hosiery, or anything else that inspires you. Share your drawing …