La Berceuse (Augustine-Alix Pellicot Roulin) - Vincent van Gogh

A portrait of Augustine-Alix Pellicot Roulin by Vincent van Gogh, painted in 1889. This work features a decorative floral background and expressive colour.

Vincent van Gogh painted this portrait of Augustine-Alix Pellicot Roulin in Arles during the winter of 1889. The subject was the wife of Joseph Roulin, a postman who became a close friend of the artist during his time in the south of France. Van Gogh titled the work La Berceuse, which translates to the lullaby singer or the woman who rocks the cradle. He intended for this image to provide comfort, imagining it hung in the cabin of a ship to soothe sailors during long voyages. The composition features Madame Roulin seated in a wooden chair, her hands resting in her lap while she holds a cord attached to an unseen cradle. Her expression is calm and contemplative. Van Gogh employed a deliberate use of colour to convey emotional weight. The figure is dressed in a deep green bodice and skirt, which contrasts against the bright red floor. Behind her, the wall is covered in a decorative floral pattern, reminiscent of the Japanese woodblock prints that influenced the artist during this period. The background is filled with stylised, circular flower motifs in shades of pink, white, and green, creating a flattened, ornamental effect that pushes the figure forward. This painting is one of several versions van Gogh produced of the same sitter. It demonstrates his move away from strict naturalism toward a more expressive application of paint and colour. The brushwork is visible and rhythmic, particularly in the treatment of the fabric and the background patterns. By combining the domestic subject of a mother with a highly decorative, almost hypnotic backdrop, van Gogh created a work that balances personal intimacy with a broader, symbolic intent. The painting remains a clear example of his ability to infuse portraiture with psychological depth through the manipulation of colour and form.