Head of a peasant, 1884 by Vincent van Gogh ::

Details

Other Title

Head of a peasant: Study for 'The Potato Eaters'

Date

1884

Media category

Painting

Materials used

oil on canvas

Dimensions

39.4 x 30.2 cm stretcher; 59.3 x 50.0 x 7.5 cm frame

Signature & date

Not signed. Not dated.

Credit

Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation Purchase 1990

Location

Not on display

Accession number

211.1990

Copyright

Reproduction requests

Artist information

Vincent van Gogh

Works in the collection

1

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About

Without the obsessive regime of self-instruction and direct observation from nature that typified his Nuenen period, it is doubtful we would know Vincent van Gogh today. A late starter, the almost 30-year-old van Gogh made up for lost time in a fever of drawing and painting that culminated in his first masterpiece, 'The potato eaters', finished in 1885.

Between December 1884 and the completion of this rustic nocturne, he produced forty bust-length portraits of peasant types: a series of 'Heads of the People' as it were. Van Gogh's socialist sympathies are apparent in every one. Vigorously brushed and soberly coloured, they take substance from the darkness around them. Fiery highlights on flesh and fabric suggest lamplight. Indeed, 'The potato eaters' is lit by paraffin. The present brooding study in all likelihood shows Antonius van Rooij, paterfamilias of the group. Van Gogh yearned to share in the social simplicity and moral certainty of this man. That he could not do so, though painful to him, left open the way to art.

AGNSW Handbook

Exhibition history

Shown in 6 exhibitions

Shell presents Van Gogh: his sources, genius and influence, National Gallery of Victoria [St Kilda Road], Melbourne, 19 Nov 1993–16 Jan 1994

Shell presents Van Gogh: his sources, genius and influence, Queensland Art Gallery, South Brisbane, 22 Jan 1994–13 Mar 1994
Great gifts, great patrons, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 17 Aug 1994–19 Oct 1994
Van Gogh: Face to Face, Detroit Institiute of Arts, Detroit, 12 Mar 2000–04 Jun 2000

Van Gogh: Face to Face, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Boston, 02 Jul 2000–24 Sep 2000

Van Gogh: Face to Face, Philadelphia Museum of Art, United States of America, 22 Oct 2000–14 Jan 2001
Vincent van Gogh: Timeless country - modern city, Complesso Monumentale del Vittoriano, Rome, 07 Oct 2010–20 Feb 2011
Archie Plus, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 26 Sep 2020–07 Mar 2021
Grand Courts collection rehang, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Nov 2021–2023

Bibliography

Referenced in 19 publications

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Great gifts, great patrons: an exhibition celebrating private patronage of the Gallery, Sydney, 1994. no pagination or catalogue numbers
Edmund Capon AM, OBE, Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation Annual Report 1997, Sydney, 1997, 16 (colour illus.).
Christie's London (Editor), Christie's London: Impressionist and Modern Paintings and Sculpture, London, 02 Apr 1990, 50 (colour illus.), 51. cat.no. 19
Complesso Monumentale del Vittoriano, Vincent van Gogh: Timeless Country - Modern City, 2010, 126 (colour illus.), 237. cat.no.26
Kevin Connor, Look, ‘The art that made me’, Sydney, May 2016, pp 12–13: p 13, col illus p 13.
J.B. de la Fialle, The works of Vincent Van Gogh, his paintings and drawings, London, 1970, 96 (illus.). cat.no. 160a, as collection of Mrs E. Mahe-Williame, Aix-en-Provence.
Renée Free, AGNSW Collections, 'The Western Heritage, Renaissance to Twentieth Century', pg. 108-172, Sydney, 1994, 140, 141 (colour illus.).
S. Helliesen, Hilmar Rekstens Samlinger, Norway, Unknown, (illus.). cat.no. 25
Jan Hulsker, The complete van Gogh; paintings, drawings, sketches, Oxford, 1980, 129 (illus.). cat.no. 563, dated as December 1884, whereabouts unknown.
Colta Ives, Susan Alyson Stein, Sjraar van Heugten and Marije Vellekoop, Vincent Van Gogh: The Drawings, New York, 2005, 108 (illus.). fig.99, illustrated in reference to cat.no. 25 'Head of man' 1884-1885, collection Van Gogh Museum
Bruce James, Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, 'Western Collection: Paintings and Sculpture', pg. 17-77, Sydney, 1999, 46 (colour illus.).
George S. Keyes, Van Gogh Face to Face: The Portraits, 'The Dutch roots of Vincent van Gogh', pg. 21-49, Detroit, 2000, 39 (colour illus.), 40. fig.no. 18
P. Lecaldano, L'opera pittorica completa di van Gogh, Milan, 1977, 102 (illus.). cat.no. 143
John Rewald, Post-Impressionism from Van Gogh to Gauguin, New York, 1956, 36 (illus.). Private collection, Aix-en-Provence
Judith Ryan (Editor), Shell presents Van Gogh: his sources, genius and influence, Sydney, 1993, 70, 71 (colour illus.). cat.no. 30
The Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation and Michael Brand, Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation: Celebrating 30 years of art acquisitions, Sydney, 2015, p 12, col illus p 12.
Louis van Tilborgh, The Potato Eaters by Vincent van Gogh, The Netherlands, 1993, 92 (illus.). cat.no. 15
Michael Wardell, Look, 'Foundation building', pg.14-17, Sydney, Sep 2004, 15.
Editor Unknown (Editor), Art and Australia (Vol. 28, No. 3), Sydney, Autumn 1991, 338 (illus.). cat.no. 1

Provenance

G. Albert Aurier, 1890-1892, Chateauroux/France, acquired through Theo van Gogh

Suzanne Williame-Aurier, post 1892, Chateauroux/France, by descent

Mrs E. Mahe-Williame, pre 01 Jul 1970, Aix-en-Provence/France, by descent, sold Sotheby's London, 1 July 1970

Private Collection, post 01 Jul 1970, England

Hilmar Reksten, pre 02 Apr 1990, Norway, Sold Christie's London, 2 April 1990 'Impressionist and Modernist Paintings and Sculpture', lot 19, 'Property from the Hilmar Reksten Collection, sold on behalf of the bankrupt estate of the late Hilmar Reksten'.

Christie's London, 02 Apr 1990, London/England, Purchased by the AGNSW from Christie's London, 2 April 1990 'Impressionist and Modernist Paintings and Sculpture' lot 19