Portrait of Camille Roulin
Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890), Arles, November-December 1888
oil on canvas, 40.5 cm x 32.5 cm
Credits (obliged to state): Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
This painting is on view in the exhibition Van Gogh: The Roulin Family Portraits at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston from 30 March until 7 September 2025.
During his time in Arles (FR), Van Gogh wanted to paint 'modern' portraits that did justice to the sitter's character. 'I seek it by way of colour,' he wrote to his sister Willemien. The blue of the cap, the green and red of the coat and the yellow of the background are all echoed in Camille's face.
Camille was the youngest son of the postman Joseph Roulin, a friend of Van Gogh's. Vincent always had a hard time finding models. It was a stroke of luck that the Roulins agreed to sit for him. He painted more than twenty portraits of the family. Van Gogh made two versions of his portrait of Camille. He sent this one to Theo and gave the other one to the Roulins.