The artwork titled “Sien with Cigar Sitting on the Floor near Stove” by Vincent van Gogh was created in 1882 in The Hague, Netherlands. This piece, executed with a combination of chalk, pencil, sepia, wash, and paper, falls under the Realism movement and is a genre painting. The artwork is currently housed in the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands.
The artwork depicts a woman, referred to as Sien, seated on the floor near a stove. She appears to be in a contemplative pose, holding a cigar, with her knees drawn up close to her chest and her arms resting on them. The scene is rendered in a monochrome palette which enhances the somber and reflective mood of the piece. The background is detailed with the texture of the wall and the elements of the stove, created using a mixture of dark and light shading that highlights the contrast and depth within the composition. The choice of medium allows for a nuanced depiction of the shadows and highlights, contributing to the overall sense of realism that van Gogh aims to achieve.
