The Italian Woman 1887

Vincent van Gogh painted “The Italian Woman” using oil on canvas. Van Gogh spent time in France, where he was exposed to the art of portraiture that focused on everyday people. This painting raises questions about how identity is constructed through representation. Who was this woman, and how does Van Gogh’s gaze shape our understanding of her? While we do not know for sure whether she was Italian, her dress and pose suggest a specific cultural identity, but her humanity transcends these labels. Notice how her gaze meets ours, challenging the viewer to see beyond stereotypes. The flowers she holds seem to symbolize a fragility and resilience that resonates with the complexities of womanhood. Van Gogh once wrote about his desire to capture "something of that peasant character". It seems to me that he offers us a glimpse into the dignity and strength of working-class women in the late 19th century.