À propos de l’œuvre
Tête d'homme, par Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh · March-April 1885 · Nuenen
Profile man's head, F168Reproduction of oil painting on canvas
A peasant is represented in a straight profile in a high and narrow format. His black hair, brown jacket and dark scarf form a compact mass; behind him, the yellow background captures the light which touches the neck, ear and cheek.
Look at the work
A light coming from the back cuts out the character of the model
The top of the head almost touches the upper edge and the nose points to the right. The man thus fills the entire format, while the little space left in front of his face makes the profile particularly tense.
The light does not illuminate the face from the front. She goes behind the model and catches a few thin areas: the contour of the forehead, the cheekbone, the ear and the nape of the neck above the black collar.
Head of a Man in profile F168/JH632 is an oil on canvas of 47.2 × 29.8 cm painted in Nuenen in March-April 1885. The original is kept at the Kroeller-Müller Museum under number KM 104.691.
Composition, touch and color
Three observations specific to this painting
Van Gogh seeks less of a flattering resemblance than a head of character. The opaque model, painted wet on wet, contrasts the red browns of the skin with the luminous yellow of the background.
The profile is constructed by a series of powerful angles
Forehead, nose, mouth and chin draw a very readable broken line. The hollow of the cheek and the crease near the mouth accentuate the tired expression.
The backlight transforms the background into a light source
Cream yellow is lighter in front and behind the head. The thin warm borders that touch the skin are enough to separate the silhouette from this luminous space.
Wet paint mixes the contours with the background
In places, the brown of the face and the yellow meet directly. The museum sees this as a clue that Van Gogh first painted the head before placing the background around it.
Documented benchmarks
Precisely identify the original work
The vertical format, KM number 104.691 and references F168/JH632 make it possible to distinguish this pipe-free profile from Nuenen's numerous male studies.
Van Gogh wants to learn how to make a head with character
He does not seek to idealize the peasant. The thick lips, tired eyes and massive construction reflect a life of work without transforming the model into a picturesque character.
Rear lighting is the real exercise of the canvas
The light only touches the edge of the ear, part of the cheek and the nape of the neck. The rest of the head remains in a range of warm browns and colored black.
The material is smooth, opaque and worked wet on wet
The passages blend in more than in some rougher heads from the same period. This continuity reinforces the large silhouette of the profile.
Your reproduction
What the painter must preserve
The copy must preserve the narrow format, the exact line of the profile, the compact hair, the black collar, the flash of the neck and the ocher yellow shades of the background.
- The nose strongly projected towards the right edge
- The light cheekbone in the center of the face
- The luminous border on the neck and ear
- The large black mass of hair
- The dark scarf that separates head and jacket
Work sheet
| Title | Profile man's head, F168 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Vincent van Gogh (1853 -1890) |
| Date | March-april 1885 |
| Place of creation | Nuenen |
| Original technique | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 47.2 × 29.8 cm |
| Inventory | F168 · JH632 · KM 104.691 |
| Conservation | Kroeller-Müller Museum, Otterlo |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
From order to shipping
In your interior
An earthy profile with red browns, deep black and straw yellow
Ocher yellow, scorched earth, chocolate brown, discreet red and bluish black give a strong presence to an office, a library or a portrait 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 documented image was converted to a true WebP of 1746 × 2820 px in its original resolution, 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.
