The artwork titled “Coal Barges” was created by Vincent van Gogh in 1888 in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France. It is an oil on canvas painting belonging to the Post-Impressionism art movement and measures 64 by 53.5 centimeters. The piece is a cityscape genre and is currently housed in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, Spain.
In the artwork, Vincent van Gogh depicts a vivid sunset scene over a tranquil body of water, presumably a river where coal barges are moored. The foreground is dominated by the dark silhouettes of three figures engaged in activities related to the barges, emphasizing their labor. These figures and the boats are starkly contrasted against the brilliant, luminous hues of the sky, which transition from intense oranges and yellows near the horizon to greenish tones higher up. The reflections of the sky and the dark cityscape in the water introduce a sense of depth and movement. The use of bold, expressive brushstrokes is characteristic of Van Gogh’s style, capturing a fleeting moment of industrial life amidst natural beauty.
