Self-Portrait - Arles, November-December 1888

This is one of Van Gogh's many self-portraits he painted over the years.  The primary advantage of using yourself as a model is you don't have to pay someone to sit for you and since Van Gogh was perpetually poor, he frequently turned to this option.

Mother Roulin with Her Baby - Arles, November-December 1888

This is the tenth post from the Roulin series, and the second of two of the mother & child together.  The red on the mother's face is interesting - was this an embellishment of Van Gogh's or was actually present on his subject?

Mother Roulin with Her Baby - Arles, November-December 1888

This is the tenth post from the Roulin series, and the second of two of the mother & child together.  The red on the mother's face is interesting - was this an embellishment of Van Gogh's or was actually present on his subject?

Portrait of Madame Augustine Roulin - Arles, November-December 1888

This is the eighth post from the Roulin series, this time a portrait of the mother of Marcelle, Camille & Armand.  What kind of plants are those in the pots outside the window?  Or is it something else?

The Baby Marcelle Roulin - Arles, December 1888

This is the seventh post from the Roulin series. This is the third and final (?) portrait of young Marcelle. This is very similar to the first Marcelle portrait I posted, but noticed the white knuckles on the left hand - they are fully blended in on the other one.

There are additional pieces in the Roulin series to share in future posts. Considering how difficult it was to find models to sit for portraits (especially for cheap or for free), Van Gogh found a gold mine with the Roulin family!

The Baby Marcelle Roulin - Arles, December 1888

This is the sixth post from the Roulin series. There is one other portrait of Marcelle I'll be posting next time. The colors on this one are very unflattering (was this a study?  an incomplete attempt?)  Also, note the bracelet and pinky ring!

The Baby Marcelle Roulin - Arles, December 1888

This is the fifth post from the Roulin series. There are two other portraits of Marcelle I'll be posting in the coming weeks. Quite interesting to compare & contrast the three pieces!