The artwork entitled “Sien’s Mother’s House Seen from the Backyard,” created by Vincent van Gogh in 1882, illustrates a scene from The Hague, Netherlands. Rendered in chalk and pencil on paper, this piece epitomizes the Realism art movement and measures 29 x 45.5 cm. As a cityscape, it captures an intimate view of urban life and currently resides in a private collection.
In the artwork, a small cluster of houses is depicted with precise and thoughtful detail. At the forefront, a wooden fence dominates the scene, behind which stands a solitary figure, a woman dressed in the attire of the time. Her back is turned to the viewer, inviting contemplation of her perspective as she surveys the quaint rooftops and structured facades beyond. The gabled rooftops of the houses ascend towards the sky, each carefully shaded to convey texture and depth. Leafless trees intersperse the buildings, likely indicative of the season. Overall, the meticulous use of chalk and pencil by van Gogh demonstrates his ability to transform a simple backyard view into a profound narrative of place and time.
