Portrait of Adeline Ravoux 1890

Vincent van Gogh painted this square, 52 cm portrait of Adeline Ravoux with oil on canvas. Predominantly green, the portrait is both luminous and unsettling. Van Gogh’s brushstrokes articulate form and emotion; look at how contrasting hues of green and yellow capture the sitter's profile. The complementary colours enhance the visual intensity and the flattening of perspective which was typical of Post-Impressionism. The composition divides into foreground and background, but Van Gogh's approach goes beyond mere representation. We might reflect on Ferdinand de Saussure's theory here, and how these aesthetic choices function as signifiers. Green traditionally symbolizes growth but here, juxtaposed with the somber background, it destabilizes that meaning. This interplay challenges any straightforward interpretation, reflecting the artist's own tumultuous state. It’s a powerful expression achieved through the radical manipulation of form.