Portrait of an old man 1885

Vincent van Gogh painted this portrait of an old man using oil on canvas, creating a compelling study of character through form and texture. The man’s profile, sharply defined against a dark background, is rendered with thick, directional brushstrokes that give the face a palpable sense of depth. Notice how the visible texture of the paint animates the surface, lending a tactile quality to the subject’s weathered skin and grizzled beard. Van Gogh’s use of impasto—the thick application of paint—highlights the material reality of the canvas, transforming the act of painting into an event as significant as the depiction itself. The somber color palette and stark contrast between light and shadow amplify the emotional intensity of the portrait. In this work, Van Gogh captures not merely a likeness but an evocative meditation on age and human dignity, powerfully communicated through the structural elements of painting.