À propos de l’œuvre
La Berceuse, par Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh · December 1888 -January 1889 · Arles
La Berceuse, Augustine Roulin, F504Reproduction of oil painting on canvas
Augustine Roulin holds in his hands the rope of a cradle placed off-camera; on the floral wallpaper, her green dress and tired face make up the protective image that Van Gogh called The Lullaby.
Look at the work
A mother who rocks an invisible child
Augustine sits face down in a brown armchair. Her hands rest on top of each other in the center of the dress; a thin rope descends between her fingers to the lower edge, where she mentally joins the absent cradle of the image.
The green silhouette, closed and almost triangular, stands out against a wallpaper loaded with flowers and scrolls. In this version, the dahlias in the background are darker and more simplified. The ocher yellow face, highlighted with red and green, remains serious rather than ideal.
The rope gives meaning to the title: Augustine makes the cradle oscillate without the baby being represented. Van Gogh wanted to make this maternal figure an image of consolation, capable of evoking a lullaby among sailors tested by the sea.
Composition, touch and color
Three observations specific to this painting
The Kroeller-Müller Museum preserves version F504/JH1655, one of five Lullabies painted around the winter of 1888 -1889.
The rope as a story
This discreet line between the hands and the lower edge is enough to introduce an absent child and transform the portrait into continuous action.
A stable silhouette
The green color forms a large central mass, almost symmetrical. It gives Augustine protective solidity against the agitated bottom.
A decor without depth
Flowers and arabesques fill the background like a tapestry. The figure thus advances towards the viewer instead of being inscribed in a room.
Documented benchmarks
Precisely identify the original work
Van Gogh uses the same pattern several times. The background colors and certain details of the dress make it possible to distinguish the different versions.
Augustine Roulin
Wife of the postman Joseph Roulin and mother of Marcelle, Augustine is part of the Arlesian family of which Van Gogh produced a series of portraits.
Rock off-camera
The rope held in the hands controls the movement of the cradle. It makes a gentle action visible without showing the child.
F504 · JH1655
The KM 109.725 inventory identifies the painting of the Kroeller-Müller, painted in December 1888 - January 1889.
Your reproduction
What the painter must preserve
The copy must preserve the monumentality of the green dress, the finesse of the rope and the contrast between the calm figure and the very dense floral decoration.
- The ocher face with colorful contours
- The green color forming a large central mass
- The two hands superimposed
- The thin rope of the cradle
- The dahlias and arabesques of the wallpaper
Work sheet
| Title | La Berceuse, Augustine Roulin, F504 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Vincent van Gogh (1853 -1890) |
| Date | December 1888 - January 1889 |
| Place of creation | Arles |
| Original technique | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 92 × 72.5 cm |
| Inventory | Kroeller-Müller Museum KM 109.725 · F504 · JH1655 |
| Conservation | Kroeller-Müller Museum, Otterlo |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
From order to shipping
In your interior
A powerful maternal portrait with deep greens
The large vertical format structures a living room, bedroom or library. Emerald green, ocher yellow, pink and brown match walnut, velvet and powdery walls.
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?
Public reproduction measures 1,902 × 2,448 px; it was converted into a real WebP at its native size, 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.
