As a lifelong admirer of Vincent van Gogh’s work, stepping into the latest exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston felt deeply personal. Titled “Van Gogh: The Roulin Family Portraits”, this powerful collection runs from March 30 through September 7, 2025, and is unlike any Van Gogh experience I’ve had before.
This exhibit focuses solely on Van Gogh’s intimate series of portraits of the Roulin family, a working-class household in Arles, France that meant so much to him. Seeing about 20 of these heartfelt works together in one space was emotional. The MFA’s own Postman Joseph Roulin and La Berceuse (Madame Augustine Roulin Rocking a Cradle) are featured front and center, and they radiate with color, texture, and sincerity.
For me, these are more than just portraits. They are symbols of Van Gogh’s longing for connection, for community, and for emotional anchoring during a time in his life when he felt both inspired and deeply isolated. You can feel the trust between the artist and his subjects in every brushstroke.
The Roulin Family: A Source of Stability
Joseph Roulin wasn’t just a subject; he was Van Gogh’s friend and a source of emotional steadiness. What moves me most is how Van Gogh painted this family over and over—not out of artistic obligation, but because they represented comfort and humanity in a world that often felt overwhelming to him.
As someone who values storytelling through images, I was struck by how these paintings go far beyond likeness. Each one captures mood, memory, and presence. The portraits of Joseph, Augustine, and their children feel timeless, yet so specific to the heart of the man behind the brush.
The exhibit doesn’t just show the work—it gives insight into how Van Gogh thought. From his admiration of Japanese woodblock prints to the influence of Dutch portraiture, the curators have done an incredible job contextualizing his style. There are also technical analyses showing how Van Gogh layered paint, used color emotionally, and adapted traditional techniques to suit his unique vision.
A Must-See for Any Art Lover
If you love Van Gogh’s work, this exhibit is a rare chance to connect with his most personal pieces. It shows a quieter side of him—not the man struggling under the weight of his mind, but the artist yearning to love and be loved, capturing that longing through a family who let him in.
Timed-entry tickets are required and include full admission to the MFA. Given the exhibit’s significance, I recommend booking early. I also encourage you to attend one of the companion events like the upcoming May 7 discussion, Up Close and Personal with the MFA’s Van Gogh Portraits. I left feeling both heartened and heartbroken—moved by the beauty, and reminded of the fragility that often comes with being deeply human.
This exhibit isn’t just for fans of art history—it’s for anyone who believes in the healing power of connection, color, and quiet empathy. For me, it reaffirmed why I fell in love with Van Gogh’s work in the first place.
