À propos de l’œuvre
La Berceuse, par Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh · January -February 1889 · Arles
La Berceuse, Augustine Roulin, F507Reproduction of oil painting on canvas
Augustine Roulin sits in a wooden armchair, her hands crossed around the rope which allows a child to be rocked off-camera. Her green dress stands out against a wallpaper loaded with white dahlias and dark scrolls, designed like a real tapestry of color.
Look at the work
The cradle rope transforms a still portrait into a maternal gesture
The figure fills almost the entire vertical format. His arms form a large oval around the hands; the yellow rope goes down between the fingers then disappears at the lower edge, bringing the cradle into existence without ever showing it.
Behind her, white flowers, small rosettes, leaves and drop patterns are repeated on a deep green. The red-brown armchair and orange floor frame the dress, while the face remains deliberately serious and silent.
The Berceuse F507/JH1672 is a 91 × 72 cm oil on canvas painted in Arles at the beginning of 1889. This precise version is kept at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam under number A 965.
Composition, touch and color
Three observations specific to this painting
Van Gogh seeks less worldly resemblance than an image capable of evoking the calming of a lullaby. The firm contours, large green areas and floral background produce a continuous visual rhythm around the model.
The hands and the rope give the meaning of the entire composition
Placed exactly in the low center, they connect the portrait to the invisible cradle. The braided rope introduces a flexible vertical which contrasts with the stable mass of the body.
Wallpaper replaces depth with decorative rhythm
The flowers do not move back behind Augustine: they seem to float on the same plane as his silhouette. This flattening reinforces the enveloping and almost musical role of color.
Nearby greens are separated by very dark lines
Bodice, skirt, foliage and background could merge. Brown and blue-black outlines cut them out, while variations of olive, emerald and gray maintain unity.
Documented benchmarks
Precisely identify the original work
References F507/JH1672, inventory A 965 and dimensions 91 × 72 cm distinguish the Stedelijk version among the five Lullabies painted by Van Gogh.
Augustine Roulin is the wife of postman Joseph Roulin
The Roulin family offered Van Gogh regular models and a friendly presence in Arles. Augustine had recently given birth to Marcelle when the painter developed this image of a rocking mother.
F507 is the fourth version of the composition
Correspondence indicates that the Roulins had chosen F505. Van Gogh then performed F507 as a new rehearsal, before the series reached five scenes.
Van Gogh imagines The Lullaby between two Sunflowers
In his letters, he envisages a triptych where the maternal portrait would be framed by two still lifes of sunflowers, as a consoling image intended in particular for Gauguin.
Your reproduction
What the painter must preserve
The copy should preserve the low gaze, the dark green bodice, the olive skirt, the layered hands, the cradle rope, the red armchair and each group of flowers on the wallpaper.
- The yellow and red rope held between the fingers
- Wide hands placed in the center
- The green bodice with blue-black contours
- White dahlias on the dark background
- The red-brown armchair surrounding the silhouette
Work sheet
| Title | La Berceuse, Augustine Roulin, F507 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Vincent van Gogh (1853 -1890) |
| Date | January-february 1889 |
| Place of creation | Arles |
| Original technique | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 91 × 72 cm |
| Inventory | F507 · JH1672 · A 965 |
| Conservation | Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
From order to shipping
In your interior
A large maternal portrait that is at once serious, floral and enveloping
Forest green, olive, pinkish white, earth red and braided yellow create a strong presence for a living room, bedroom or interior where textiles and botanical patterns dominate.
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 reproduction of the F507 version was prepared in real WebP of 2,335 × 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.
