The Drinkers

The Drinkers is an oil on canvas painting created by Vincent van Gogh in 1890, near the end of his life. As a key example of Post-Impressionism, this vibrant work showcases Gogh's highly recognizable mature style. It was executed during the artist’s voluntary stay at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

The painting depicts a group of figures gathered around a table, intensely engaged in drinking. While the subject is commonplace, Gogh transforms the scene through his distinctive use of color and technique. The surface is heavily textured by thick layers of pigment, or impasto, which gives the forms a powerful, almost sculptural quality. The intense juxtaposition of warm, earthy browns and yellows, characteristic of the interiors he painted, against starker blues and greens creates an emotional tension that transcends mere representation.

Though rooted in the cultural traditions of the Netherlands, Gogh often looked to contemporary French masters for compositional inspiration, even while in isolation. The Drinkers is known to be a free interpretation of a work by the earlier French artist Honoré Daumier, reinterpreted through the dramatic, expressive lens characteristic of Gogh's output. This process allowed him to hone his expressive power, transforming simple genre subjects into profound emotional statements.

Gogh’s expressive brushwork emphasizes the energy and psychological interiority of the moment rather than strict observational accuracy. Today, the work is a significant holding within the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Its status as a foundational piece of modern art ensures that high-quality prints of this Post-Impressionist canvas are widely accessible, frequently digitized for the public domain.