À propos de l’œuvre
Le Bébé Marcelle Roulin, par Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh · December 1888 · Arles
Portrait of Marcelle Roulin, F441Reproduction of oil painting on canvas
Marcelle Roulin, the youngest child of postman Joseph Roulin, appears from the front in a white hat and dress. Her round face, bright blue eyes and small crossed hands stand out against a uniform green background.
Look at the work
A frontal portrait where a few contours are enough to give the baby a presence
The head occupies the upper half of the small format. The cap forms a light crown around the red hair, while the eyebrows, nose and mouth are drawn by very simple brown lines.
The arms open in a triangle before joining the hands placed on top of each other. The yellow and red bracelet brings a tiny but very visible accent in the middle of the greenish-white dress.
Portrait of Marcelle Roulin F441/JH1641 is an oil on canvas measuring 35.2 × 24.6 cm painted in Arles in December 1888. The work belongs to the Van Gogh Museum under number s0167V1962.
Composition, touch and color
Three observations specific to this painting
Van Gogh reduces the decor to focus all attention on physiognomy and posture. The green background, light clothing and brown outline create a direct, almost iconic image.
The face is constructed by small differences in warm tones
Pink, ocher, brown and pale green shape the cheeks and forehead. The contours remain visible but do not completely close the light to the skin.
Blue eyes form the sharpest contrast
Their cold color stands out in the middle of the orange face. The subtle asymmetry of the gaze avoids a frozen expression.
The white dress contains many colors
Cream, pale green, gray blue and pink describe the folds. This diversity preserves the volume of the garment in front of the green background.
Documented benchmarks
Precisely identify the original work
F441/JH1641, inventory s0167V1962 and the 35.2 × 24.6 cm format identify Marcelle Roulin's version kept at the Van Gogh Museum.
Marcelle is the youngest daughter of postman Joseph Roulin
Joseph Roulin helped Van Gogh ship his paintings from Arles to Paris. Their friendship led the painter to represent each member of the family.
Van Gogh painted Marcelle in five compositions
Three portraits show her alone and two others in the arms of her mother, Augustine. This painting is the isolated version now kept in Amsterdam.
The small portrait was sent to Theo in the spring of 1889
The museum's provenance places the shipment at the end of April. Jo, Theo's then pregnant wife, receives this baby image with great affection.
Your reproduction
What the painter must preserve
The copy must preserve the round face, bright blue eyes, red hair under the hat, the brown outline of the dress, the crossed hands, the small bracelet and the mint green background.
- Both blue eyes surrounded by green and brown features
- Red hair visible under the white hat
- Pink cheeks shaped by short hatching
- Little hands superimposed in the center
- The yellow, red and blue bracelet around the wrist
Work sheet
| Title | Portrait of Marcelle Roulin, F441 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Vincent van Gogh (1853 -1890) |
| Date | December 1888 |
| Place of creation | Arles |
| Original technique | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 35.2 × 24.6 cm |
| Inventory | F441 · JH1641 · s0167V1962 |
| Conservation | Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
From order to shipping
In your interior
A tender portrait of broken whites and mint green
Mint green, cream, terracotta pink, bright blue and golden yellow make up a soft presence for a bedroom, a reading corner or a family wall.
Frequently asked questions
Before ordering
Is this a canvas print?
No. Each reproduction is manually painted in oil on canvas. Brushstrokes and material variations belong to the final result.
How is the visual reference chosen?
The heritage image of the Van Gogh Museum was prepared as a real WebP of 2,089 × 3,000 px, without artificial enlargement.
Can I check the result before shipping?
Yes. Photographs of the finished painting are sent to you; you can request alterations before validating the shipment.
Are custom formats possible?
Yes. The format can be adapted to your wall while maintaining the proportions and balance of the original composition.
