“Miners’ Wives Carrying Sacks of Coal” is an artwork created by Vincent van Gogh in 1882 in The Hague, Netherlands. This watercolor painting on paper, executed in the Realism art movement, measures 32 by 50 cm and falls under the genre of genre painting. The artwork is currently housed in the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands.
The artwork depicts a somber scene of several women, presumably wives of miners, laboriously carrying heavy sacks of coal. These figures are shown trudging along a path, their postures bent under the weight of their burdens, conveying a poignant sense of toil and endurance. This realistic portrayal is accentuated by the muted color palette and the simplicity of the surroundings, focusing the viewer’s attention on the human condition and the hardships faced by these women. The barren landscape and overcast sky further enhance the painting’s emotional depth, reflecting the daily struggles of the working class during the period.
