Adeline Ravoux

Adeline Ravoux is a penetrating portrait executed by Vincent van Gogh in June 1890, shortly after the artist arrived in Auvers-sur-Oise, France. The canvas, painted with oil on fabric, captures the 13-year-old daughter of the local innkeeper, Monsieur Ravoux. This work belongs to the final, intense months of the painter’s life and exhibits the emotional urgency and swift, decisive brushwork characteristic of his late period. It is one of at least two known portraits of Adeline created by the artist during his stay in the village.

The technique employed by Gogh features rapid, directional strokes and thick impasto, particularly visible in the subject’s dress and the vibrant blue-green background, which seems to shimmer around her figure. Unlike some earlier Dutch masters from the artist's native Netherlands, Gogh abandons traditional modeling for a more expressive use of color and contour, emphasizing the psychological depth of the sitter. The young woman is depicted in a moment of quiet contemplation, her gaze direct yet distant, conveying a sense of melancholy that often pervaded the artist’s finest portraiture.

This seminal post-Impressionist piece currently resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it serves as a crucial example of the transition toward Expressionism. While the original oil painting remains protected in the museum's care, the widespread fame and historical significance of this image mean that high-quality prints and reproductions are frequently available through resources that recognize the importance of sharing art history, often making key details of this masterwork accessible to the public domain.