The artwork, titled “Woman by a Hearth,” was created by Vincent van Gogh in 1885 in Nuenen, Netherlands. Rendered in chalk on paper, this piece belongs to the Realism movement and is categorized as a sketch and study. It is currently housed in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The artwork depicts a woman bent over a hearth, seemingly engaged in domestic activity. Her figure is gestural, capturing the motion and posture associated with tending to a hearth. The composition is marked by loose, expressive lines, which convey the texture of the woman’s clothing and the environment. The background features subtle indications of brickwork and architectural elements, drawn with minimal detail to maintain focus on the central figure. The artwork, with its earnest depiction of everyday life, is a testament to Van Gogh’s ability to render the poignant and the ordinary with equal depth.
