Head of a Peasant Woman (or Portrait of a Woman with a Red Cap)
Painting on canvas (possibly mounted on panel) • Vincent van Gogh (attributed to or manner of)
Style & Movement
Post-Impressionism / Realism (Dutch period)
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas; wet-on-wet technique with impasto and heavy, earth-toned brushwork.
Creation Period
c. 1884-1885
Dimensions & Format
Approx. 40 x 30 cm; Portrait orientation
Subject Description
A profile portrait of a peasant woman wearing a red cap and green bodice. The work features a dark, murky background that emphasizes the rough, weathered features of the subject's face, typical of Van Gogh's Nuenen period.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good; shows significant surface grime and aged varnish which has yellowed.
Estimated Market Value
$150,000 - $500,000 (if authenticated as a study); markedly higher if fully cataloged.
Auction Estimate
$200,000 - $400,000
Provenance History
Unknown from image; likely internal to a private collection or local regional estate given the style's proximity to the 'Potato Eaters' era studies.
Art Historical Significance
Represents the artist's early interest in the working class and 'peasant painters,' predating his move to Paris. It characterizes the gritty realism and dark palette influenced by Millet and Rembrandt.
Notable Features
The heavy, sculptural application of paint on the cheekbone and the specific earthy palette (umber, sienna, and deep green) are hallmarks of the 1885 Nuenen series.
Condition Issues
Yellowed varnish, possible craquelure under the surface, frame abrasion, and visible dirt layers on the paint film.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional cleaning to remove oxidized varnish, stabilization of any pigment lifting, and housing in a museum-grade microclimate frame.