Seated Female Nude 1886

This is Vincent van Gogh's sketch, "Seated Female Nude." Though undated, we can place the work within the late 19th century, a time when the representation of the female nude was laden with complex social and cultural meanings. Consider that Van Gogh was working within a society that often viewed women through a lens of either idealization or sexual objectification. What does it mean for him to depict this woman, not as a goddess or an object of desire, but as a person seated, seemingly lost in thought? Notice the deliberate absence of idealization in her figure. Instead, there's an attempt to capture the truth of the body. "I want to touch people with my art," Van Gogh once said. Here, we see an emotional and personal dimension. The woman’s gaze is directed downwards as if in contemplation. While he worked within established traditions, Van Gogh’s sketch offers us an alternative narrative, one that invites empathy and connection. It challenges us to see the individual, rather than an idealized representation.