The artwork titled “Head of a Woman” was created by the renowned artist Vincent van Gogh in the year 1885 while he was in Nuenen, Netherlands. Executed in the medium of ink on paper, this piece embodies the Realism movement and falls within the genre of sketch and study. Currently, the artwork is housed in the Van Gogh Museum located in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
In this meticulously drawn sketch, the artwork presents the head of a woman with a solemn expression, captured through a series of deliberate and controlled ink lines. The study reveals Van Gogh’s adeptness in portraying human features with raw emotion and realism. The woman’s features are characterized by broad, bold strokes, which emphasize her structure and expression, accentuating the depth and intensity within her eyes and the contours of her face. The headscarf she wears and the textured lines suggesting her clothing further contribute to the rustic and earnest quality of the portrait. Through this detailed and poignant rendering, the artwork exemplifies Van Gogh’s profound ability to convey the essence of his subjects with simple yet powerful means.