Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin

Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin was painted by post impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh. The painting was painted in oil on canvas. Joseph Roulin is Van Gogh's close friend when he was staying at southern French town Arles during 1888-1889. In 1888, van Gogh moved to Arles, in hope of exploring more artistic sensation in the unspoilt countryside. But after he moved here he found himself lonely and isolated. Joseph Roulin worked as the postmaster at the station in Arles. Van Gogh went there frequently to send paintings to his brother Theo in the Netherlands and they became close friends. The friendship with Joseph Roulin and his family offered Van Gogh comfort and companionship. Roulin tended to van Gogh in the aftermath of psychotic episode in which Van Gogh menaced Gauguin and then sliced off a part of his own ears. Roulin continued seeing Van Gogh when he committed to the psychiatric hospital in Arles, and writing to Van Gogh's family to reassure them of his health, and pr