Van Gogh's Muse -- Agostina Segatori

Posing for shining names of
the Parisian art scene such as
Van Gogh, Dantan, Corot,
Gérôme, Delacroix and Manet,
this senora of Italian descent,
came into the world in the
seaport city Ancona, in 1841.
In her adopted hometown,
Paris, she set up the Café du
Tambourin, which was initially
nestled in rue de Richelieu,
before reopening at 62 Boulevard
de Clichy in 1885. A cabaret
kicked off a new episode of the
location which was artistically
announced by a poster created
by Jules Chéret.

It goes without saying that its interior decoration was
graced by Dantan's and Van Gogh's works. The latter
even used this Parisian cafe as a location for his first art
display. Further exhibitions featuring names such as Paul
Gauguin, Louis Anquetin and Émile Bernard followed suit.
In exchange for their wall-embellishing donations all the
artists were offered free meals. Bankruptcy was the
consequence. Closed, reopened and renamed in Cabaret
de la Butte in 1893, this little boîte changed its proprietor
repeatedly by the end of the century, renamed for the third
time to Cabaret des Quat'z'Arts.

This oil-on-canvas-painting shows Madame Segatori through
Van Gogh's eyes.Wile trying to transmit her identity, his main
goal was to convey his feelings for her and his distinctive idea
of his model. By focusing on color and brushstrokes the artist
aimed to show her inherent qualities, traits of character and his
personal relationship towards her. Implemented in the colorful,
bright surface is an ideology of the artist inherent: while
pursuing his goal of depicting his emotions toward Senora
Segatori he also sought to display his involvement with the
model.   

Portrait of an Italian woman;
Vincent Van Gogh, 1887
Musée D'Orsay, Paris