Ochre Arches Over a Red-Tiled Corridor

A long arcade recedes into the distance, framed by a series of rounded arches drawn in lavender-grey and pale blue outlines. The vaulted ceiling is built from short, energetic strokes of mustard yellow, with touches of turquoise where light seems to fall. Square pillars with grey lower walls and thin red bands line both sides. The floor is a warm field of red and orange hatching, broken by a green patch and a loose tiled foreground. A single small figure in dark clothing walks along the left side, and a pale doorway glows at the far end. The mood is quiet and a little uneasy, the perspective pulling the eye steadily down the passage.

This is a drawing of an interior, not a landscape, made in brush and oil over black chalk on pink paper. The caption dates it to September 1889 and names Vincent van Gogh as the creator. Its keywords point to a hospital setting. The visible paper tone and the rhythm of the strokes are part of its character, which is worth knowing if you enjoy seeing how a picture was built up. The tall portrait format suits phones and vertical monitors best, where the receding arches run the full height of the screen. Icons placed at the bottom will sit over the busy foreground.

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