The artwork titled “Head of a Peasant Woman, Bareheaded” was created by Vincent van Gogh between 1884 and 1885. This piece falls within the Realism movement and is classified as a sketch and study genre. The artwork features a distinctive portrayal of a peasant woman, rendered with profound simplicity and depth.
The artwork presents a profile view of the head of a peasant woman, characterized by the bareheaded nature that the title suggests. The lines and strokes employed by van Gogh exhibit a raw and textured quality, emphasizing the facial features and the rugged, unrefined essence of peasant life. The cross-hatching techniques and the use of shadows give the subject’s face a three-dimensional effect. The monochromatic palette further adds to the somber and earnest representation of the woman’s character, resonating with the realist approach of depicting everyday life and ordinary people with a truthful, unidealized manner.