“Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin” is an artwork created by Vincent van Gogh in 1888 in Arles-sur-Tech, France. Utilizing oil on canvas as his medium, van Gogh crafted this portrait reflecting the Post-Impressionism art movement. The genre of the artwork is identified as a portrait.
The artwork features a depiction of Joseph Roulin, a postman, against a vivid yellow background. The subject’s uniform and hat are painted in deep, rich colors that contrast sharply with the background, emphasizing his commanding presence. The hat bears the word “POSTES”, indicating his occupation. Van Gogh employs his characteristic bold brushstrokes and vibrant color palette to convey the personality and inner life of the subject, giving life to the simplicity of a uniformed postman. The interplay of colors and van Gogh’s attention to detail in the rendering of the beard and facial features add depth and texture to the portrait, making the figure appear lifelike and profoundly expressive.
