Madame Roulin Rocking the Cradle (La berceuse)

A woman with a serene expression, Augustine Roulin, sits framed by a vibrant, almost pulsating background of red and green, gently rocking a cradle. Her hands, clasped around a rope, suggest a repetitive, comforting motion, even as the cradle itself is unseen. This portrait, one of five versions, offers a sense of quiet solace, an effect the artist described as a "lullaby in colors." The swirling, patterned backdrop and her distinctive cap create a powerful visual rhythm around her, drawing the eye to her calm presence. Created in January 1889, shortly after the artist's return from the hospital, the painting was a gesture of reconciliation. It was sent to Paul Gauguin, intended to be hung between two sunflower paintings, perhaps to evoke warmth and stability after a period of intense personal turmoil.