ARTISTS
Van Gogh and the Roulins. Together Again at Last
Discover the remarkable friendship between Vincent Van Gogh and postman Joseph Roulin and his family. Thanks to the close connection with the Roulins, Van Gogh was able to pursue his ambitions as a portrait painter. He made many portraits of the family. A large number of these works are on view together for the first time at the Van Gogh Museum this autumn.
In the summer of 1888, Vincent van Gogh became friends with Joseph Roulin. Joseph was a postman at the train station in Arles, in the South of France. He was married to Augustine, and they had three children together: Armand (aged 17), Camille (aged 11) and their baby daughter Marcelle.
Vincent was always looking for models, and painted the friendly postman with his striking beard and blue uniform many times. He was delighted to also have the chance to paint Roulin鈥檚 wife Augustine and their children.
Impressive portraits
Many of the impressive portraits that Van Gogh made of the Roulin family will be on view together for the first time from 3 October 2025 onwards, in the exhibition Van Gogh and the Roulins. Together Again at Last. This is the first ever exhibition to focus exclusively on this important group of paintings from the turbulent period that Van Gogh spent in the southern French town of Arles.
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Discover the remarkable friendship between Vincent Van Gogh and postman Joseph Roulin and his family. Thanks to the close connection with the Roulins, Van Gogh was able to pursue his ambitions as a portrait painter. He made many portraits of the family. A large number of these works are on view together for the first time at the Van Gogh Museum this autumn.
In the summer of 1888, Vincent van Gogh became friends with Joseph Roulin. Joseph was a postman at the train station in Arles, in the South of France. He was married to Augustine, and they had three children together: Armand (aged 17), Camille (aged 11) and their baby daughter Marcelle.
Vincent was always looking for models, and painted the friendly postman with his striking beard and blue uniform many times. He was delighted to also have the chance to paint Roulin鈥檚 wife Augustine and their children.
Impressive portraits
Many of the impressive portraits that Van Gogh made of the Roulin family will be on view together for the first time from 3 October 2025 onwards, in the exhibition Van Gogh and the Roulins. Together Again at Last. This is the first ever exhibition to focus exclusively on this important group of paintings from the turbulent period that Van Gogh spent in the southern French town of Arles.
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When Van Gogh arrived in Arles in 1888, he struggled to connect with the local community. He did find a true kindred spirit in Joseph Roulin.
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