Portrait of Agostina Segatori

Agostina Segatori owned the Café du Tambourin on the Boulevard de Clichy, where Van Gogh organized an exhibition of Japanese prints and where he briefly stored some of his own work. She and Van Gogh had a romantic relationship during his Paris years, and she appears in this 1887 portrait dressed in what may be Italian costume, seated and reflective. The portrait is unusual for Van Gogh in its formal quality — she is presented as a subject with dignity and a specific identity, not merely as a type. She would later be accused of selling some of Van Gogh's work without his permission, adding complexity to the relationship. The work is among the few portraits he made of named women.

The composition is structured around the sitter's contained posture and downward gaze, creating a mood of private contemplation. Bright yellows and blues in the background contrast with the deeper tones of her dress, demonstrating Van Gogh's developing command of complementary color.