À propos de l’œuvre
Portrait de la mère de l'artiste, par Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh · October 1888 · Arles
Portrait of the artist's mother, F477Reproduction of oil painting on canvas
Anna Carbentus van Gogh looks slightly to the right, wearing a black cap and wearing a dark dress; her very light face stands out against an intense green background.
Look at the work
Restore color to family photography
The bust is framed above the chest. The black ribbons form an angular mass around the hair, while the very narrow white collar separates the face from the garment.
The skin combines white, yellow, pink and pale green. The green eyes, red mouth and bright background concentrate the expression, while the dress remains constructed by large, almost black touches.
Van Gogh painted his mother Anna Carbentus in Arles in October 1888 from a black and white photograph received from his sister Wilhelmina. The oil on canvas measures 40.6 × 32.4 cm and is kept at the Norton Simon Museum under number M.1968.32.4 cm.
Composition, touch and color
Three observations specific to this painting
The artist does not only copy the features of the photograph: he seeks, according to his letter to Theo, a "harmony of color" corresponding to the memory he keeps of his mother.
Green organizes the entire portrait
The green background brings out the black hat and dress, but it also comes back into the eyes and even into the shadows of the face.
A resemblance worked in touches
Wrinkles, eyelids and mouth are not drawn by continuous lines. Small colorful accents shape age and expression.
Reds now attenuated
The Norton Simon Museum says some red pigments have faded. The complexion we see today is therefore greener than originally intended.
Documented benchmarks
Precisely identify the original work
The museum notice and correspondence precisely document the model, the original photograph, the chromatic intentions and the color changes.
Anna Carbentus van Gogh
Vincent's mother was then sixty-nine years old. The painter created this portrait for himself while he lived far from his family, in the south of France.
An original in black and white
Van Gogh writes that colorless photography makes him impatient and that he wants to find his mother as he sees her in his memory.
Light-sensitive red lacquers
The discoloration of certain reds has modified the balance of the face and partly explains its current paler and green appearance.
Your reproduction
What the painter must preserve
The copy must follow the visible state of the work while retaining the subtle differences between the greens of the background, the gaze and the shadows of the face.
- The black hat tied over the hair
- Gray green eyes
- Pink touches around the mouth
- The little white collar
- The uniform but vibrant green background
Work sheet
| Title | Portrait of the artist's mother, F477 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Vincent van Gogh (1853 -1890) |
| Date | October 1888 |
| Place of creation | Arles |
| Original technique | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 40.6 × 32.4 cm |
| Inventory | F477· JH1600· M.1968.32.P |
| Conservation | Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
From order to shipping
In your interior
A family portrait with unique greens
The compact vertical format is suitable for a bookcase, desk or portrait wall. Light green, black and off-white make up a sober but immediately recognizable ensemble.
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 public domain documentary image measured 2,057 × 2,503 px; it was encoded in these dimensions in real WebP, 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.
