Day 2 / The Postman
Vincent van Gogh, The Postman (Joseph Étienne-Roulin), 1889
Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia (BF37)
A FAITHFUL FRIEND IS A STRONG DEFENSE, AND HE THAT HATH FOUND SUCH AN ONE HATH FOUND A TREASURE . . . A FAITHFUL FRIEND IS THE MEDICINE OF LIFE.
—ECCLESIASTICUS
In 1888, Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) moved to Arles, France where he struggled with isolation and loneliness. One of his few reprieves was found in a postmaster by the name of Joseph-Étienne Roulin. The two men quickly forged a close friendship.
The Postman may have been created from memory after Roulin and his family moved away. In his absence, van Gogh praised Roulin through this painting as a paternal, reassuring figure. Roulin is squarely centered in the decorative composition, shown from shoulders up, his gaze meeting the viewer. In what van Gogh described in a letter to his brother Theo as a “modern portrait,” he portrayed Roulin through the vivid independent life of color. Unusual color choices unify the composition—the acidic green of the background that unexpectedly appears in Roulin’s mustache and beard, for example. Thick lines of green, bright blues, and lavender swirl around one another, each stroke distinct and unblended. A floral design explodes in the background. van Gogh accentuates Roulin’s distinctive facial features with great care—the ruddiness of his nose and cheeks, the slight irregularity of one drooping eyelid, his lopsided nares. Slightly raised eyebrows convey a gentle inquisitiveness. As art historian Martha Lucy explains, “In the palpable energy and nurturing spirituality emitted by the sitter, we recognize the connection between this man and the artist depicting him.”
van Gogh asks us to gaze with duration and tenderness at his friend, and at friendship itself. In this portrait, friendship is portrayed as essential to our well-being—it can move through adversity and expand communities, cross class and racial divisions, contest hate and segregation, and provide a kind of kinship and solidarity. We are also reminded of the ways friendship sustains us in moments of vulnerability. Acts of kindness can become especially meaningful during personal or widespread crises. In other words, friendship plays a powerful role in creating a sense of belonging and helping us thrive.
reflections
How have your friendships been transformative and empowering for you?
Think of a time when a friendship brought you respite. How can we view our relationships as models of care and caregiving?
If a friend looked at you in the way that van Gogh painted Roulin, what might they see?
Sources
Lucy, Martha. “Barnes Takeout: Art Talk on Vincent Van Gogh’s The Postman.” Barnes Foundation. March 25, 2020. Video, 13:30. www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-5QnS-yWHg.
Popova, Maria. “Vincent Van Gogh on Art and the Power of Love in Letters to His Brother.” Brain Pickings, November 10, 2020. www.brainpickings.org/2014/05/07/vincent-van-gogh-art-loveletters.
