The artwork, titled “View of Saintes-Maries with Church and Ramparts,” was created by Vincent van Gogh in 1888 in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France. Executed in ink on paper, this piece is a fine example of the Post-Impressionism art movement and measures 43 x 60 cm. It belongs to the genre of sketches and studies and is part of the collection at the Oskar Reinhart Foundation in Winterthur, Switzerland.
The depiction in the artwork captures the serene and picturesque essence of the village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. The foreground is characterized by meticulously detailed fields, extending towards a line of quaint houses built in a traditional style. At the horizon stands the imposing church and ramparts that lend the village its historical gravitas. Van Gogh achieves a dramatic effect with the use of dense, dynamic lines, representing both the architectural structures and the sky that stretches above. The sun, rendered with minimal lines, radiates softly in the backdrop, illuminating the scene. The intricate interplay of light and shadow in the fields and buildings reflects Van Gogh’s profound understanding of perspective and composition, making this sketch a compelling study of a timeless provincial landscape.
