Vincent van Gogh Print, L'Arlésienne: Madame Ginoux (1888–89)

L'Arlésienne: Madame Ginoux by Vincent van Gogh

L'Arlésienne: Madame Ginoux is one of Vincent van Gogh’s most distinctive portraits from Arles. Painted in 1888–89, it depicts Marie Ginoux, proprietor of the Café de la Gare, seated against a brilliant yellow background with books resting on the green table before her.

Her dark regional costume, pale face and blue-black hair create strong contrasts against the intensely coloured setting. Rather than surrounding the sitter with elaborate interior detail, Van Gogh simplifies the space so that pose, expression and colour carry the portrait.

Who Was Madame Ginoux?

Marie Ginoux and her husband Joseph ran the Café de la Gare in Arles, where Van Gogh was a frequent visitor. She became one of the local people whom both Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin portrayed during their period working together in the town.

Van Gogh’s paintings of Madame Ginoux belong to his broader ambition to create modern portraits of the people around him rather than relying on conventional society portraiture.

The Metropolitan Museum Version

Van Gogh created two closely related painted portraits of Marie Ginoux in Arles. The GalleryThane image reproduces the Metropolitan Museum of Art version.

In this composition, books lie on the green table. The earlier version now at the Musée d’Orsay instead includes gloves and a parasol, providing an important way of distinguishing the two works.

Yellow, Green and Dark Blue

The intense yellow background is essential to the portrait’s impact. It pushes the sitter’s dark clothing forward while the green table creates another strong field of colour beneath her.

Van Gogh reduces conventional modelling in favour of broad colour areas and firm outlines, giving the portrait a directness partly related to his admiration for Japanese prints.

L'Arlésienne Prints for Interiors

The yellow, green and deep blue palette gives this portrait considerable decorative strength. It works particularly well in studies, living rooms and eclectic interiors with mustard, navy, olive, dark timber or warm neutral furnishings.

Its upright format also makes it an excellent choice for gallery walls combining Van Gogh portraits with flowers and landscapes.

About Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) considered portraiture an important part of his artistic ambitions. During his time in Arles he painted friends, neighbours and local families, using colour and simplified form to create portraits that were modern, direct and intensely individual.

Vincent van Gogh’s Painting Style

Van Gogh increasingly allowed colour to establish mood and character rather than depending solely on detailed modelling. In L'Arlésienne, the powerful yellow background, dark clothing and green tabletop create a bold structure around the sitter while visible brushwork preserves the physical presence of the painted surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the woman in L'Arlésienne?

The sitter is Marie Ginoux, proprietor of the Café de la Gare in Arles and an acquaintance of Van Gogh and Gauguin.

When did Van Gogh paint L'Arlésienne?

This Metropolitan Museum version dates from 1888–89 during Van Gogh’s Arles period.

Did Van Gogh paint more than one portrait of Madame Ginoux?

Yes. He painted two closely related portraits in Arles and later produced further versions based on a drawing by Gauguin.

Where is the original shown here?

The original represented by this GalleryThane print is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

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