The artwork titled “Torso of Venus” by Vincent van Gogh was created in 1887 in Paris, France. This piece, which belongs to the Realism art movement and falls under the genre of sketch and study, was executed using chalk and charcoal on paper. Presently, it resides in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The artwork portrays the torso of a classical Venus statue, rendered with expressive and textured strokes. The figure, although headless and armless, stands with an essence of grace and organic form. The use of both chalk and charcoal brings out a pleasing contrast, providing depth and volume to the torso through meticulous shading and cross-hatching. The background is filled with dense, vertical and horizontal strokes, creating a stark distinction that emphasizes the form’s three-dimensional quality. This study beautifully captures the elegance of the human form through Van Gogh’s mastery of line and shadow.
