The artwork titled “Orphan Man with Cap, Seen from the Back” was created by Vincent van Gogh in 1882 while he was in The Hague, Netherlands. Rendered using chalk and pencil on paper, this work falls within the Realism movement and the genre of sketch and study. Currently, it is housed in the Nathan Collection in Zürich, Switzerland.
In this particular piece, Van Gogh depicts the back view of an elderly man wearing a cap. The man is shown standing, with his back to the viewer, clad in a long coat that drapes over his form-fitting pants. The meticulous use of shading and lines showcases Van Gogh’s skill in capturing the texture and folds of the man’s clothing, contributing to the overall somber and reflective tone of the artwork.