Thatched Cottages in Jorgus 1890

Vincent van Gogh painted these thatched cottages with oil on canvas, capturing a slice of rural life. The image is anchored by the presence of two peasant women. They are stooped with age and hard labor, their presence a stark symbol of life's burdens. In the history of art, the image of the peasant is one that resurfaces. Think of Millet's "The Gleaners." It romanticizes rural existence, but here, Van Gogh shows us something else. The women appear to be caught in a cyclical dance, a reenactment of centuries of toil. The cottages themselves, with their thick thatched roofs, seem to bear the weight of time, their forms almost human in their weary stance. It’s as if these women and their homes are characters in an ancient drama, their roles passed down through generations. The enduring image of human resilience, the capacity to bear hardship, echoes through the ages, a testament to our shared human experience.