Orphan Man in Sunday Clothes with Eye Bandage 1882

This is Vincent van Gogh’s study of an “Orphan Man in Sunday Clothes with Eye Bandage,” now residing at the Fogg Museum. Van Gogh made this work while living in The Hague between 1881 and 1883. During that time, Van Gogh sought to capture the lives of working-class people and the poor, often focusing on their dignity amidst hardship. The man in this study, despite his visible injuries and humble status, is portrayed with a certain formality, dressed in his "Sunday clothes." His eye patch and the cigarette dangling from his mouth tell stories of resilience, and perhaps, of a life marked by struggle. Van Gogh was deeply invested in the idea of art as a means of social commentary. He once said, "What I dream of is an art of balance." In this work, he grapples with the complex identities of those on the margins of society. It’s a tender portrayal that invites us to contemplate the human spirit’s capacity to persevere.