Roulin tended to van Gogh in the aftermath of this incident, seeing him committed to the psychiatric hospital in Arles, watching over him during his internment there, writing to his family to reassure them of his health, and providing constant solace to the recovering artist. Spurred by an argument with Gauguin, van Gogh underwent a psychotic episode in which he menaced his fellow artist and then sliced off a part of his own ear. This advice may have been especially telling in the case of van Gogh’s later portraits of Roulin (including this one) which were likely painted after the postman had left Arles for a better paying position in Marseilles. Gauguin urged less dependence on observation and more reliance on memory and intuition. Among his influences in his pursuit of modern portraiture was Paul Gauguin, who worked with van Gogh in Arles in the fall of 1888. Van Gogh wrote to his brother, Theo, of his excitement about “the modern portrait,” a picture that expresses character not by the imitation of the sitter’s appearance but through the independent, vivid life of color. Many other portraits would follow, as would portraits of his wife and three children. Van Gogh painted Roulin for the first time in the summer of 1888. Perhaps more importantly for the lonely, isolated artist, Roulin was also the devoted father of a large family. Roulin was an ardent socialist, vehement in his support of the left wing of French republican politics. Van Gogh was fascinated by his friend’s face, but he was at least as taken with the man’s character. The two lived on the same street in Arles, in the South of France, where Roulin worked for the postal service. In addition, the Gallery owns 11 prints and drawings by the artist that may be seen by appointment by calling 202- 842-6380.Joseph Roulin-who appears in this portrait resplendent in his blue uniform against a floral background that echoes his lush, swirling beard-was among Vincent van Gogh’s most important friends. Mellon, Ailsa Mellon Bruce, Chester Dale, Pamela Harriman, and John Hay Whitney, the National Gallery of Art has 10 paintings by Van Gogh, six of which are currently on view in Washington. Thanks to the generosity of important benefactors such as Mr. She relinquished the remainder of her life estate in July 2013, seven months prior to her death, allowing the Gallery to take immediate possession of the painting.Ĭurrently undergoing conservation treatment, Still Life of Oranges and Lemons with Blue Gloves (1889) is another major painting from the bequest of Paul Mellon, and will also be part of this installation.įarmhouse in Provence (1888) will be on view until early July, when it will be replaced with the artist’s Self-Portrait (1889). This painting was bequeathed to the Gallery by renowned philanthropist, art collector and Gallery benefactor Paul Mellon (1907–1999), subject to a life estate in his wife, Rachel Lambert Mellon (1910-2014), which gave her the right to possess the work for her lifetime. The portraits of the postman and his daughter Marcelle will go on view in Gallery 83 with seven other paintings by Van Gogh from the Gallery’s holdings, including Girl in White (1890), La Mousmé (1888), The Olive Orchard (1889), Roses (1890), and the recent acquisition Green Wheat Fields, Auvers (1890). “The artist’s admiration for them is evident in these portraits and the opportunity to see these portraits of father and daughter reunited again, for the first time in 125 years, is not only a touching tribute to the enduring bonds of friendship, but a poignant reflection on family.” Powell III, director, National Gallery of Art. “The relationship between Van Gogh and the Roulins was extraordinary,” said Earl A. On canvas, he immortalized him his wife, Augustine and their three children, Armand, Camille and baby Marcelle. In letters, the artist idealized the patriarch. Shortly after moving to the river port town of Arles in the south of France, Van Gogh began painting the Roulin family. Though painted within a year of each other, this is the first time these versions of the works will be shown together, along with other related works by Van Gogh. On loan from the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, The Netherlands, the Portrait of Joseph Roulin (1889) will hang alongside the Gallery’s own Roulin’s Baby (1888), the portrait of the postman’s daughter Marcelle as an infant. The postman Joseph Roulin, who Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) made famous through a series of portraits, will be exhibited for the first time in the National Gallery of Art’s West Building French Galleries from June 8 to September 18, 2014.
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