The artwork titled “A mousmé, sitting,” created by Vincent van Gogh in 1888 during his time in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France, is a portrait genre piece reflecting the influences of the Japonism art movement.
The artwork presents a young woman, referred to as a mousmé, a term van Gogh used borrowing from Japanese culture to describe a young woman or girl. The subject is seated and depicted with a delicate yet expressive line work characteristic of van Gogh’s style. She wears a boldly striped blouse paired with a patterned skirt, details rendered with an almost calligraphic brushstroke that channels the aesthetics of Japanese woodblock prints. The rigid lines of her attire contrast with the subtle, contemplative expression on her face. She holds a cluster of flowers, contributing to the image’s sense of serene introspection. The background remains unadorned, drawing attention to the detailed and skillfully executed figure at the center of the composition. Text in van Gogh’s handwriting, likely annotation or correspondence related to the work, is placed in vertical alignment along the right edge, adding an additional layer of personal touch and context to the creation.
