The artwork, titled “Orphan Man with Long Overcoat and Umbrella, Seen from the Back 2,” was created by the renowned artist Vincent van Gogh in 1882 in The Hague, Netherlands. Executed in pencil on paper, the piece belongs to the Realism art movement and falls within the portrait genre. Currently housed in a private collection, this artwork offers a glimpse into van Gogh’s early exploration of capturing the human form with intricate detail and emotive simplicity.
The drawing depicts a man standing with his back to the viewer, clad in a long overcoat and holding an umbrella by his side. The strokes of the pencil convey a sense of texture and depth, emphasizing the worn, slightly bent posture of the figure, possibly an indication of his harsh life circumstances. The man’s hat and coat are meticulously shaded, showcasing van Gogh’s skill in rendering fabric and contours. The simplicity and starkness of the composition evoke a somber, reflective mood, characteristic of van Gogh’s poignant early works.
