The artwork titled “Peasant Woman, Stooping, Seen from the Back” is a sketch and study created by Vincent van Gogh in 1885 in Nuenen, Netherlands. Rendered in chalk on paper, this piece belongs to the Realism art movement and is currently housed in the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands.
The artwork presents a peasant woman in a stooping posture viewed from behind. Van Gogh employs hasty and decisive strokes to encapsulate the painstaking labor and humble lifestyle of the rural working class. The woman’s figure is enveloped in a cloak, obscuring her features, which amplifies the anonymity and universality of her toil. The chalk medium allows for a rich contrast and depth, skillfully illustrating the texture of her garment and the ground upon which she works. This artwork is a poignant representation of Van Gogh’s dedication to portraying the dignity and hardship of peasant life.
