Artwork
L'Arlésienne
L'Arlésienne is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
She is shown in three-quarter profile seated at a table, wearing traditional Provençal attire: a blue headscarf and white bib.
The painting depicts Marie Ginoux, the proprietor of a café in Arles where van Gogh was a frequent patron. She is shown in three-quarter profile seated at a table, wearing traditional Provençal attire: a blue headscarf and white bib. A book rests on the table, partially cropped by the canvas edge, suggesting a thoughtful, quasi-candid moment.
The composition captures Ginoux in a reflective but decisive pose, her head supported by her hand. Van Gogh’s bold color contrasts, a flat, vivid yellow background against the blues of her clothing, and the simplified forms are deliberate references to Japanese art, characteristic of his Arles period. The portrait thus represents both a specific individual and a broader fascination with Provençal identity, while its compositional framing and chromatic energy convey the artist’s Post-Impressionist synthesis of naturalism and decorative abstraction.
Technique & Style
This portrait is executed in oil on canvas, measuring 91.4 × 73.7 cm. Van Gogh painted it in roughly an hour, capitalizing on Madame Ginoux’s posing session for Gauguin. The work exemplifies the artist's Arles period with strong, vibrant hues, notably the stark contrast between the blues of the sitter’s clothing and the monumental, uniform yellow background, a nod to Japanese print aesthetics. Compositionally, the unconventional framing, cutting off books on the table, and the natural, decisive pose of the woman resting her head on her arm suggest a candid, almost photographic quality.
Depth is articulated through the green semicircle of the table and the three-quarter view of the figure, while the orange-backed chair adds a complementary accent. The simplification of forms further aligns with Van Gogh's absorption of Japanese art.
History & Provenance
Vincent van Gogh painted L'Arlésienne in 1888 in Arles, completing it rapidly while Marie Ginoux (the proprietor of a local café) posed for Paul Gauguin. The work remained with the sitter, Madame Ginoux, before passing to the dealer Ambroise Vollard and later to Sally Falk. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is held today.
A second, later version of the portrait was created by van Gogh in 1890, inspired by Gauguin's own depiction of the same subject.
Overview
L'Arlésienne is an oil painting that presents a seated female figure. The artist utilized a distinctive style marked by visible brushwork and a vivid color scheme, contributing to a textured surface. The composition centers on the woman, positioned against a bright yellow setting, with a few carefully arranged items hinting at an indoor environment. This approach emphasizes both the subject and the material qualities of the paint.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art.
Studied in the Edo/Japonisme course