The artwork, titled “Torso of Venus,” was created by Vincent van Gogh around the year 1886 in Paris, France. It utilizes pencil on paper as its medium and belongs to the Realism movement. Serving as a sketch and study, this piece is currently housed in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The artwork depicts a skillfully executed pencil sketch of a classical sculpture of Venus, concentrating on the torso. The emphasis lies on the contoured lines to capture the form and musculature of the statue, revealing Van Gogh’s keen observation and adeptness in rendering realism. The torso is illustrated with meticulous cross-hatching and shading, which imbue the sketch with depth and volume. Set upon a pedestal, the sculpture is positioned slightly off-center, hinting at Van Gogh’s practice and study of classical forms and structures.
