Portrait of Armand Roulin 1888

Curator: Here we have Vincent van Gogh's "Portrait of Armand Roulin," painted in 1888. What strikes you first about this work? Editor: It's that raw energy, the tactile quality of the paint! The vibrant yellow jacket jumps out. The material seems almost palpable. It makes you wonder, where was this jacket sourced, who made it? Curator: That raw energy is palpable, isn't it? Armand Roulin, here depicted, was the son of Joseph Roulin, the postman van Gogh befriended in Arles. Considering that van Gogh was deeply concerned with the working class, what does the bright rendering of Roulin tell us about Van Gogh's social vision and portrayal of labor? Editor: Van Gogh isn't just painting a portrait; he's engaging with the means of representation itself! The heavy brushstrokes remind you that it is the worker's materiality, the way it captures and reflects the light that elevates him. But why is he in formal wear? Curator: Good point, a lot of these signifiers would have positioned Roulin as outside the rural working class; remember Van Gogh found great value and strength in his relationships with working-class men. And as a point of fact, he painted all of the Roulin family members in a similarly posed way. The hat, the suit... How do these choices, or this commission of portraiture, affect or influence this idea? Does this change his perceived labor position and relationship? Editor: It raises the stakes! The painting shifts to examining that intersection of class, presentation, and identity. This could represent that need to be taken seriously in a precaritized workforce. Even Roulin's facial features have this depth to them, a weariness. Curator: Exactly, he’s presenting us with Roulin's interiority as well as exteriority; through brushstrokes and careful coloration we see a person beyond class definition. What have we learned from Roulin, you think? Editor: That even through layers of oil paint and posed formality, the raw human spirit—the working spirit, if you will—can still push through. It's a powerful statement about human potential. Curator: Indeed. I've walked away thinking about the intersectional impact that our chosen representations leave on our audience; what they take away and who gets seen, and how. It makes you wonder...