The artwork titled “Head of a Woman,” created by Vincent van Gogh circa 1885 in Nuenen, Netherlands, stands as a representative piece of the Realism art movement. Executed using pencil and ink on paper, this portrait genre artwork is housed in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The artwork features a somber and dignified depiction of a woman’s head and shoulders, rendered in meticulous pencil and ink strokes. The stark use of shading and cross-hatching techniques bring out the depth and texture of her facial features, capturing the weariness and resilience in her expression. The woman’s headscarf and the rough, yet precise detailing of her attire accentuate her working-class background, resonant of the Realism movement’s focus on depicting ordinary individuals with sincerity and humanity. The dark, muted tones highlight Van Gogh’s interest in exploring human emotion through a naturalistic approach, conveying a sense of intimacy and immediacy in the viewer’s engagement with the subject.
